When The Sun Stands Still

Scripture

12On the day the Lord gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel. He said, “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.” 13So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day. 14There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the Lord answered such a prayer. Surely the Lord fought for Israel that day!

Joshua 10:12-14

Observation

The Lord fought for Israel that day! Israel fought for the Lord that day! The Lord made the sun still for Israel that day until victory against their enemies was achieved! Israel refused to stand still that day and used the gift of time given them to give all they had until victory against their enemies was achieved! Joshua boldly brought an impossible request and God broke his natural rules to bring about a supernatural event.

Application

There has never been a day like this before in my lifetime. We have to keep checking the calendar because, one week into this global shut down, it feels as though the Sun stands still in the sky. Certainly, there is much that IS standing still. Empty freeways closed restaurants, quiet offices. The only thing bustling right now is the extra-wide aisles of Costco. Yesterday, here in Hawaii at least, they closed down all parks and beaches. I didn’t even know you could close beaches on an island, but apparently you can. In our fast-paced culture where families rarely see each other, we have now all seen too much of each other. We are immediately confronted with enemies that seem to loom larger than even the Amorites before Israel. We find ourselves in our own valley of Aijalon as we realize our marriages and families have been neglected in the name of personal advancement. We have gone from no time at home to ALL our time at home due to quarantines, curfews, and social distancing mandates put into place to flatten the curve of the spread of Covid-19. There’s nowhere to run. We can’t hide in our offices or blame our commutes. I am face to face with my enemy and my enemy is me. For years we have prayed the impossible prayer- “God please give us one more day in the week so I can connect with my family. I have no time in this 24/7 rat race. Can You make it 24/8?” Then, in one fell swoop, the Sun stands still in the sky. God didn’t bring this Pandemic but He always has a way of turning what the enemy meant for evil into something good for His people. Everything is at a standstill, but we must not stand still. We must press in and keep swinging our sword. We must not waste the gift of time God has given us at this time. We must confront the enemies in the valley of our own homes: greed, success, status, reputation, self-centeredness, lust, passive parenting, false escapes into entertainment, neglected marriages, closed communication, grudges, offenses, unforgiveness, and pride. If this seems like a lot to fight don’t be overwhelmed. Firstly, God is fighting for us and wants our marriage, family, business, and church to succeed. Secondly, God is giving us way more than one day to slay these enemies. I’m reminded of that scene in the dark caverns as described in “The Fellowship of the Ring”, where Frodo is bemoaning the state of things as they are seemingly lost in darkness with no way out. He talks to Gandalf as a child to a father, “I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

Prayer

Father in Heaven I feel the same as Frodo. My heart is to join You in this battle and to use the gift of time given to me. My head is running through all the “what-if” scenarios brought on by this Pandemic and most are not great. Yet, even as I write this prayer to You on my lanai I hear the joy and laughter of my five sons bonding inside our home as they haven’t done in a very long time. You have heard my impossible prayers to bring my sons together again. As I saw my teenage sons heading in their own directions and my younger sons longing for time with them and now, the sun stands still. They are all in the same house together playing games, playing music, sharing meals. Let me not waste the time You’ve given me. There has never been a time like this before in my lifetime and instead of resenting the upheaval of my schedule I choose to see it instead as a gift from heaven. I repent for giving in to the enemies and excuses that have kept me too busy. Thank you for the fresh reminder this morning that my number one ministry is my family and that Cyndi and I have been tasked to raise five warriors for the Lord in these last days.