“O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies?” Joshua 7:8 (NIV)
With the great victory at Jericho, Joshua’s fame as a military leader was on the rise- but not for long. The very next military operation met with resounding defeat. The men of Ai soundly defeated Joshua’s army. The rout was so severe that it left the army melting in fear.
Upon investigation, why did the defeat happen? Someone in the Israeli camp had sinned by stealing devoted things- objects devoted to other gods. God simply would not allow worship of any other god.
Joshua was beside himself. God’s covenant to give Israel the Promised Land now seemed like a hopeless dream. He didn’t know what to do next. He fell on his face before God.
Perhaps you’ve experienced a time when your leadership seemed to fall woefully short, and you were clueless regarding next steps.
We can learn from Joshua’s example. Read the full account in verses 9-26. God prescribes strong medicine, but Joshua obeys and Israel gains victory.
For leaders, the point is clear: When failure happens, and it will sooner or later, seek God, and follow His orders.
The content of this Devotional comes from “Daily Strength for the Battle (You, God’s Word, 5 Minutes): Volume 6 Developing the Leader in You” (2020) and is copyrighted by Scott and Judy McChrystal. Used with permission.
