Daily devotional, March 23, 2024 Standstill

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'"
 Matthew 19:26

One of the usual answers that we get after asking someone how they are doing is that “they are busy.” And most of the time, that person does not lie. He or she is indeed overly preoccupied. In our culture today, busy-ness is glorified, that when someone is not swamped with things to do, he himself feels that he is not doing enough or is lazy.

And in the midst of a jam packed day, one cannot be blamed for wishing that the Earth would stand still. That the clock will stop ticking. But we all know that it will not stop and time will just pass us by.

In the Old Testament though, there was someone who boldly asked God to keep the sun from setting. To basically make the Earth standstill so that he can finish his mission. This person is Joshua, Moses’ successor and the one who led the Israelites to the Promised Land:

"At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon." And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day." 
Joshua 10:12-13

And since Joshua’s request was anchored on God’s earlier promise to Him — that He will deliver his enemies to him — He made that bold request, and God indeed answered.

"There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel." 
Joshua 10:14

Such an account should give us the hope that when we ask something from the Lord, and it is according to His will, He will help us. After all, there is nothing impossible for the Creator of this universe, the owner of Heaven and Earth and everything on it.

"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” 
1 John 5:14-15

Let us always remember that if we are doing what God has prompted us to do, He will equip and help us until we have concluded that mission. That if what we are asking for will further glorify His name, and exalt His people, He will hear us.

In the Gospel of John, our Lord and Savior was quoted as saying that as we continue to love Him, and abide in Him, the Heavenly Father will see His righteousness in us and answer our prayers. Of course as we further walk with Jesus and sanctify ourselves, our prayers will be less and less focused on our own needs, but rather in the pursuit of God’s work and glory.

"In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." 
John 16:23-24

Our prayers may not be heard at all times, but let us put in mind that our Heavenly Father responds to each one of them. Sometimes His response is “yes,” sometimes it is a clear “no” other times it is “wait,” but there are times He says “I’ll see.” Whatever His answer may be, let us put our full trust and confidence in Him, because as He said in the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, He only has the best plans for our life:

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." 
Jeremiah 29:11

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Joshua 10:1-15 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: What impossible request have you asked of God? How did He respond to it?

Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for listening to me when I pray. Allow me to be confident enough to pursue things that would help glorify your name. Give me the wisdom to truly abide in you and carry out your divine will in my life, and be your instrument to do good to others. Amen.