DAY 81

THE SUN STANDS STILL

Joshua 10, 11 & 12 and Luke 1:39-56

The Old Testament chronicles another series of Joshua leading the people of Israel in a successful campaign. In the midst of these events the “sun stands still”. A miraculous feat: just “Google It” if you want to see a few opinions as to if it happened, and if so then how. You will find a variety of explanations that range from it being a merely figurative account, to a variety of scientific explanations.

I find the investigation of these types of Biblical events at once stimulating and also distracting. What if you cannot figure out how it happened? What if that shortcoming leads you to begin doubting God’s action in the world? By overly investigating the “how it happened” do we forget to ask “why it happened”? Now I am not saying we should not ask “how” - I was on a website that actually had the math calculations for the earth stopping its rotation on its axis based on some theories of large objects coming in proximity to it – I am just saying we need to remember to ponder the question of “why.”

Why do you think God had the “sun stand still”? Before you read on, take a moment and answer that question, “Why do you think God had the sun stand still”? The text would suggest  it was so that the day would be longer in order for Israel to capitalize on the battle going in their favor. In fact the text says, “He (Joshua) said, sun stand still at Gibeon…” The Bible says this right after it says Joshua spoke to the Lord. Now I am wondering if this was a spontaneous moment, or if when Joshua was speaking to the Lord the Lord told Joshua to command it so that the people would trust in God. God was always doing these sorts of things with Moses.

This is in part, my answer to the question of “why”. The Israelites should not have won this battle. Five kings and their respective countries formed an alliance. They attack Gibeon and not Israel directly. There is some pretty good political and military strategy going on. Yet God again demonstrates His authority over the situation. He has authority over everything – He can make the sun stand still – so trust Him.

In Luke’s Gospel the same thing is going on: people trusting God. People daring to dream the impossible like the sun standing still is what is going on in both readings. A ragtag group defeating five established countries might seem impossible. So might an aged “thought to be barren” woman and a virgin both being pregnant. The scene is wonderful. A young girl who is trying to faithful to God is carrying the Savior of the world and an older woman who was thought to never have a child are both pregnant. The young girl’s fiancée defends her by staying by her side and the older woman’s husband is unable to speak. All involved in this story will spend the rest of their lives trusting God like never before, and no doubt coming face to face with situations that they would have considered impossible days earlier. When you are “out there”, trusting God and the world is shaking its head at you thinking you have lost your mind, you are happy to meet another person who is living on the edge for God. Mary and Elizabeth are delighted to meet; two women watching the sun stand still in their lives. Mary has a sense of what is taking place as she proclaims, “…for he who is mighty has done great things for me”

How about us? Reflect for a moment and consider God’s presence in your life. Ponder whether there have been times in your life when the sun has stood still – and if you identify any then ask, “And I learned ______________ from that moment”. I expect you might say, “I learned to trust God even more.”