Contemplative Bible Reading

Joshua 10:9-10 (New Living Translation)

9 Joshua traveled all night from Gilgal and took the Amorite armies by surprise. 10 The Lord threw them into a panic, and the Israelites slaughtered great numbers of them at Gibeon. Then the Israelites chased the enemy along the road to Beth-horon, killing them all along the way to Azekah and Makkedah.

Joshua, as usual, was facing superior forces. No problem. God messed with the minds of the enemy. In this instance, God threw them into a panic: sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behavior. The superior forces fell into “wildly unthinking behavior.”

So that’s it, have them stop thinking.

God created us with minds and the ability to use them to think. As we see here, we can become a little twisted so that we stop thinking. A little fear. A little more fear. A little worry. A little more worry. Toss in a lack of sleep. Toss in some anxiety.

Sometimes people ask me about marriage and Christianity and other such grand topics. My advice? Sleep every night. Rest the mind. Everything else seems to go better thereafter. Panic? Stop. Breathe. Rest. Pray. Use the mind God has given us.