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“No one in this region made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites of Gibeon. All others were defeated. For the Lord had hardened their hearts and caused them to fight the Israelites.” Joshua 11:19-20

I really don’t expect you to follow along with me in the Bible. Whenever I read someone else’s book or blog, I never do. I’m reading along through the book of Joshua with my kids right now in the evenings. So far, Joshua primarily looks at Israel’s conquest of the land of Canaan. Wherever the Israelites go, the Kings of the area all respond similarly. They gather their troops, call up their neighbours and join together to fight against the Israelites.

If we were to watch this story in our time through the spectacles of CNN, that’s about all we would see to the war. We would hear statistics on how many died in battle from each side. There would probably be a great deal of commentary on how ruthless the Israelite nation was. There would probably be a great deal of questioning on how this band of nomadic herdsmen could not only defend themselves, but conquer nations that are much more equipped, bigger, stronger and far numerous than themselves.

What we never hear on CNN that we read in the Bible, is God’s involvement in the matter. Why would God motivate Israel’s enemies to attack them? King Jabin of Hazor amassed an army which is described as a “vast horde”. Collectively, the kings of the area put together a fighting force that, “covered the landscape like sand on the seashore.” Joshua 11:4. If King Jabin were interview on CNN, what do you think he would say if he were asked why he was fighting Israel? Do you think that he would say, “God has been working on my heart, and I really feel that this is what I’ve been put here to do.”? I highly doubt that he had any clue as to how God was working on his heart.

Why would God motivate people to attack you?

Would it be a stretch for me to say that God works on the hearts of all people? What is the difference then between the people of God and the people of this world?

As I ask the question and begin to put it together, the answer is well beyond the scope of a blog post or two. It has to do with actually believing that God is God. It has to do with believing that His promises can be trusted. The Gibeonites were that far in their understanding of God and because of that kind of faith, they were saved from destruction. It has to do with recognizing God’s work in the world an in our hearts.

King Jabin had no idea that God was behind the inner workings of his heart. That might be all I get to for today. If you aren’t a believer, did you know that God has been speaking to your conscience in a similar fashion? If you are a decided atheist, it is part of the reason why you are so opposed to faith – especially faith in Christ.

For me, as a believer, I don’t always know exactly what God is trying to do in and through me. For me, this story boils down to trust. If God is at work, even in the hearts of those who are opposed to Him, how much more can we as believers trust that He is taking us where He wants us?

This isn’t another Disney film telling you to ‘follow your heart’. The heart is often deceptive. What I am saying, is that we can trust Him. If you really are in Christ, then your story will end well, no matter how big your opposition may seem. No matter the obstacle, God has made a way. Even if the story ends in death, He’s beaten that too. Our job isn’t to look at our obstacles and wonder whether or not we can jump over them. Our task is to ask the question, “God – What do you want me to do about this?” If he wants us to die in the battle, can we trust Him with that?

I don’t know what that looks like in your life. Today my wife sent out a mailing for The Edge of His Cloak that cost over $240. Can I trust Him with that? If I can trust Him, does that mean that I’ll eventually get my $240 back? No it doesn’t. It means that whatever happens, it’s going to be ok. We did what we did because we both had the sense that it was a step we needed to take.

We don’t follow Jesus because we expect some specific outcome in our circumstances. We come to Him because we believe, in the core of our being that He is the only way to be reconciled to The Father. We continue our walk in that same hope, trusting that His death on the cross really has made us clean. We live, having an authentic relationship with Him, trusting that He is able in a literal sense to see us through to the end.

Of course, if you don’t have an authentic relationship with The Father through Jesus, it gets little more complicated doesn’t it?