The Wall

This morning I went to a new women's group that is trying to get on its feet here in our tiny town of 300 people. The group name is GEODES, and the gals getting it started are so eager to connect with women our community. It was a privilege to join them today.

We are studying Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst. (This isn't a commercial for Lysa by any means, but if you struggle with weight loss --- read Made to Crave!) I follow Lysa on twitter...and if you follow me @RegisterMrs, you'll see quite a few re-tweets. Today Lysa chatted with us from Florence, Italy where she sat near one of the old city walls. As we watched, of course, my mind went to the Great Wall of China. Although Italy is certainly on the bucket list, I can't help but feel that most walls pale in comparison.

Walls are mentioned over and over again in the Bible. To stand next to any wall that men have constructed is a reflective experience. You admire the work effort and dedication of those who toiled. You try in your mind to grasp the primal need for protection that motivated the mission. You grapple with the oppression that existed for the laborers. Despite trying, in our free land and culture, we really can't get our mind around it.

So after traveling the world in my mind, I came back to the small room of ladies focusing on Joshua chapter six. Imagine Joshua, having wandered for forty years leading his army to the city of Jericho. As his warriors prepared to take the city, he gives them directions that rather than fight they will march, blow horns, and give a shout. So often God's ways are so not understandable to us.

Even before this Joshua questioned God, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" God responds that he is Lord and Joshua fell down in reverence. Often God allows us to reach the wall - to reach the place of questioning his goodness to us. He wants us to come again and again to the choice -- will he be Lord of our life even when it doesn't make sense?

God was patient with the Israelites. Forty years of wandering. But, even as he waits the question is the same. Will we recognize him as an all powerful God? If so, in his own timing and ways that we can't understand --- He is on our side.