Joshua 10:12-17: a reflection

12Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel. He said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still on Gibeon! You, moon, stop in the valley of Aijalon!” 13The sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Isn’t this written in the book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and didn’t hurry to go down about a whole day. 14There was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel. 15Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal. 16These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17Joshua was told, saying, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”

In the heat of a great battle, Joshua does something audacious: he prays aloud, in the sight of all Israel, for the sun to stand still, that the day might be long enough to complete the victory. And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the battle was won. The account marvels: There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.

Notice two things here: the boldness of Joshua's prayer, and the reason it was answered. Joshua prayed boldly, asking for something extraordinary, trusting God's power to grant it; he did not limit his prayer to the small and the likely, but asked greatly, in faith. And the reason it was answered was that the LORD fought for Israel; the extraordinary answer came because God himself was at work for his people, listening to a man's bold prayer and acting for them.

That encourages us both to pray boldly and to trust the God who fights for his people. We often limit our prayers to the small and the likely, hardly daring to ask for great things; but Joshua prayed boldly, and God answered. And behind the answer stood a God who fights for his people, who is able and willing to act on their behalf. Do not limit your prayers to what seems likely; pray boldly, as Joshua did, trusting the power of the God who hears. And take heart that the LORD fights for his people; the God who listened to Joshua and fought for Israel is the same God who hears your prayers and acts for those who are his. Pray boldly, and trust the God who fights for his own.

Lord, in the heat of battle Joshua prayed boldly for the sun to stand still, and you answered, for the LORD fought for Israel; there was no day like it, when you listened to the voice of a man. Encourage me by that both to pray boldly and to trust you. I often limit my prayers to the small and the likely, hardly daring to ask for great things; but Joshua prayed boldly, asking for something extraordinary, trusting your power to grant it, and you answered. And behind the answer stood a God who fights for his people. Keep me from limiting my prayers to what seems likely; help me pray boldly, as Joshua did, trusting the power of the God who hears. And help me take heart that you fight for your people; you who listened to Joshua and fought for Israel are the same God who hears my prayers and acts for those who are yours. Help me pray boldly, and trust you, who fight for your own.