"You've Made Your Bed, Now..."

         "... lie in it." Were you able to finish this line? I can't remember exactly when this was taught to me, but I'm pretty sure it was at a rather young age.  Sometimes, allowing our children to feel the consequences of their actions is a great form of discipline. If they neglect to put clothes in the laundry, they will run out of clean clothes. In the same way, I as an adult suffer consequences. If I leave fruit out too long, I will draw fruit flies. If I speed, I will get a ticket (eventually). Obviously, there is a certain level of maturity required for one to learn something from this form of discipline.
        This past week, I was challenged to consider that God will still help us even when we have made decisions without His "blessing". He doesn't say, "Well, you've made your bed..." God never leaves us. I'm in a Bible study called "Believing God" by Beth Moore. In the study we watch a video at the end of our time, and it was in the video this past week that Beth challenged this notion.
         She used a story from Joshua 9 and 10 to illustrate the point that in order to have victory God sometimes requires us to give our all. In this story, the Israelites have a miraculous victory over five kings that join together to try to defeat the Gibeonites whom Israel made a pact with in Joshua 9. Israel is not even fending off an attack specifically on them but on an ally they had made. They had a fierce battle. During their pursuit of the armies, God hurls hailstones from the sky "and more of them die from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites." (Joshua 10:11) Beth points out that God could have clearly wiped out all of these enemies with hailstones in the beginning. Why did Israel even have to fight? God was more than able. She believes that God wanted Israel to do their part, not just believe God to fight for them. Israel had to give their all. They began with an all night march, fought while hotly pursuing their enemy, and even cried out for God to make the sun stand still. Verse 14 says ,"There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a human being. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!"
         This is a great inspirational story, right? It is, but that's not what got me all choked up...it's the context in which He gives Israel the victory. If you read the story in Joshua 9, you'll read the story of how the Gibeonites, who were afraid of what the Israelites would do to their city, pulled out old garments and moldy bread to fool the leaders of Israel into thinking that they had come from a long, long distance. Israel had been forbidden by God to make alliances with the people living in their "Promised Land". God warned that if they did they would eventually adopt their customs that caused God to drive them out in the first place. Israel would commit just as horrible atrocities like sacrificing their children. Well, the leaders of Israel were completely fooled by the their ragged appearance, moldy bread, and cracked wineskins. They forgot to "consult" God. Big mistake! He'd have told them that the wool was being pulled over their eyes.  Mrs. Moore pointed out that they could've wondered on that long march about who's fault it was that they were even in this battle...perhaps they were even slapping their forehead thinking "how stupid" they were...maybe, just maybe they were even feeling that since they had gotten themselves into this mess, they'd have to get themselves out. Beth points out though that God is not human. He never leaves us. He is full of grace; and when you cry out to Him, He is sure to hear you.
        This is what made my eyes start to water. This what filled my heart with hope. There are many times that I am reluctant to cry out to God for deliverance because I've bought into the lie that because I didn't listen to God or stop to ask His opinion that He no longer cares about me...that He will not help me. God loves us. All of us. It is much easier for me to extend grace than to accept it. Just as I would always help my child if they were in trouble regardless of whether or not they took my advice, God is just waiting for us to cry out to Him.    
        This past week my stupidity has cost my family several trips to the doctor's office/Walgreens for treatment for strep throat. I realized one of my daughters was suffering with a sore throat after drinking from her water bottle. I asked her why she didn't tell me her throat hurt to which she replied,"I did...you didn't listen to me." Ouch! Given my history of sometimes shushing my children, I know she's likely right. Slap my head and call me "stupid". Cleaning for strep throat is only effective if everyone is symptom free. Mama has fallen out of the saddle of her high horse. There are other things at play in our house this week too...big decisions affecting our family's future...some of it clearly beyond our control.
         So today, I'm believing God to be huge compared to our problems, ready to hurl hailstones at my enemies, more than capable to make the sun stand still. I'm crying out, “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you." (Jer. 32:17)