Just Keep Marching

Have you ever been in a situation where you feel that you are constantly doing what you're supposed to do... but see no results?

Perhaps you're working hard at a job where no one seems to notice your dedication and hard work.

Or maybe you're a mom who dedicates so much of her time and energy to a home where it often goes unnoticed.

Now imagine coming out of walking the desert for years. People are tired, hungry, and want a place to call home.

You are told that you will take a city. It's all yours, all you have to do is follow a few steps.

Great! So what do we have to do?

March around an entire city for 6 days. Oh, and the 7th day... march around 7 times and shout.

Wait? Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?

This is what the Lord instructed Joshua to do. He was told that the city of Jericho was already given to the Israelites... all they had to do was follow EXACTLY what God was telling them to.

// And the Lord said to Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus thou shall do six days.

... and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.// Joshua 6:9

Now when people mention battles, usually it means you fight and then take what you want. But marching around a city? How does that even begin to make any sense?

When I sang these words in high school part of my chorus, "Joshua fought the battle of Jericho... and the walls came tumbling down..." I didn't know the story, so I thought there was an actual battle.

But the truth is, God had already given them the victory... all they had to do was obey. Regardless of how ridiculous they probably felt.

I mean can you imagine being a soldier, and literally just being told to walk around the city you're supposed to take? And doing it everyday for 6 days?!

No talking, just walking. No questioning, just doing.

Maybe the people in Jericho might have laughed at the fact that all these so called soldiers were doing was leading in a parade around their city.

The bible doesn't tell us the thoughts of those inside the walls of Jericho.

(We're only told of Rahab, the harlot and her family who was saved for hiding Joshua's messengers.)

But, it does tell us that Joshua and the people did exactly as they were told.

And after they completed all of it, on the 7th day after marching 7 times around the city they shouted... and the walls crumbled down flat.

// And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout for the Lord hath given you the city. Joshua 6:16

...

... And the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. // Joshua 6:20

You may be walking around a city of your own right now.

You feel pointless in continuing because it looks stupid to other people who are watching you do this with no results.

But I'm telling you to just keep marching.

When it feels redundant. When it feels like your family, your friends, the whole world is laughing at you... just. keep. marching.

God often tells us to do something that doesn't seem very valiant. He tells us to walk through the chunky muddy path instead of the perfectly laid out concrete.

He tells us to do the thing other people usually laugh at.

But I'm telling you to look forward and march on anyway.

God promises that those who persevere will see their victory at the end.

Just keep marching... and it's only a matter of time before your walls come crumbling down too.