Leaping Before Looking (or Asking)

GETTING STARTED

As we face trials in our lives, there is a long list of places to go to find counsel: friends, family, celebrities, therapists, and self-help books. We even turn inward and count on ourselves to discern what’s best—often, to our peril. Yet, all through the Bible we see God very present in the day-to-day lives of his people, guiding them toward his ultimate plan to redeem their brokenness and draw them to himself. God longs for us to seek his counsel through his Spirit and his Word. 

  • What kinds of decisions do you need God’s help with? Why?

READ THE WORD: JOSHUA 9:1-15 (ESV)

9:1 As soon as all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard of this, they gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel.

But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, they on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly. And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.” But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?” They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?” They said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God. For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. 11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us.”’ 12 Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly. 13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” 14 So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. 15 And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

  1. What was the situation in which the Israelites found themselves with the surrounding kings?
  2. How did the Gibeonites stand apart? What was their strategy? What was their goal? 
  3. The law of the Lord said that the Israelites were not to make alliances with anyone from Canaan (where the Gibeonites lived). What caused Joshua and the elders to believe that the visitors were indeed from a foreign country? 
  4. What decisions do you need to be seeking the counsel of the Lord on today, and not trusting your own understanding?

RESPOND TO GOD

My first class as a freshman in college was with a professor who had no less than five degrees. I attempted to keep up with the course material, but soon found myself falling behind. Halfway through the semester, I finally got the courage to ask my professor for help. And she was more than happy to help! The solution to my problem was right in front of me, but I was too focused on myself to see it. I just had to ask. God longs to guide us through hard times and lead us to decisions that are for our good and in keeping with his will. He does that by his Word, his Spirit, and the community of his people. He loves us enough to show us his will and way, but we need to seek him.

  • Pray today that you would seek God’s plan for your life and not your plan for your life. 
  • Ask God for his counsel and direction on a specific decision or situation you are going through.