Josh. 7-9
In Joshua 7, Israel was defeated before Ai because one man among them had disobeyed God. In chapter 9, Israel was deceived by the Gibeonites because they “did not seek counsel from the Lord” (Josh 9:14b). This statement seems to suggest that had they asked of God, He would have revealed to them the truth so they would not have been deceived by the Gibeonites. So it seems reasonable to me to think that the defeat at Ai could have been avoided had they taken the time to make sure things were right with God before they went instead of assuming that all was well. I so often just go through life assuming that all is well with me and God when I really need to be more intentional about seeking Him before every action and every decision in my life.
Luke 9:37-62
Luke 9:57-62 (titled “The Cost of Following Jesus” in the ESV) gives us a taste of just how difficult it is for us to be and stay committed to Jesus. Our intentions are good, but there are so many things that distract us. Which leaves me with the conundrum of how we live these lives we’ve been given, taking care of things that are ours to take care of, while still being sold out for Jesus?