So the sun stood still and the moon stopped

Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. Joshua 10:25

So I have some giant kings lurking in the cave of my heart. Big hulking hayquehacers out to rob me and destroy me. They loom tall and fierce in the darkness.

And as they move up with all their troops and take up positions against me to attack I will stand at rest on the promise of God, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand.”

And one could wonder what old Joshua marching around Palestine a few thousand years ago could have to do with me and my dentist appointment during seventh period Spanish II and the English department meeting being held on the grass to discuss summer reading and technology use because I am on lunch duty and Jin Cheng not doing his reading and writing a birthday note or two or three and I need a brand new plan for finishing off the year of Environmental Science because Affordable Energy isn’t going to hold their interest for three weeks and my neighbor’s garden that needs watering every three days and the article I already wrote and emailed before the flip, flip, flip of fly, back, breast, and free this morning.

I totally believe that the sun could stand still, that the LORD God who holds the spinning galaxies the palm of His hand could bring it to a halt with only a flick of His wrist.

Thus I can take my tiny little place in this palm, a veritable sparrow in the shelter of His wings.

Because she loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue her;

 I will protect her, for she acknowledges my name.
She will call on me, and I will answer her;

 I will be with her in trouble,

 I will deliver her and honor her.

My very favorite part about Mexicali is that every single morning I leapt out of bed with the promise that I would see God that very day, at work to will His good purpose. And I would be part of this plan. This from-the-beginning-of-time-plan. And I was looking to be an answer to prayer that day. That my hands and feet would be His answer to those sometimes even unarticulated prayers and His giving because He was asked, and His being found because He was sought, and His opening because the door was being knocked. Perhaps even pounded. Or kicked. Are you there?

And really.

Really that is what I pray for today. Here in Tucson, where NPR has already clicked on and the traffic is starting up on Broadway and Alan is singing the happy little song “For I cry out for Your hand of mercy to heal me,” as he waters the greenhouse and chats with his birds.  May I be His hands and feet of love.  At rest in His strength and might.

And those hapless kings locked in the cave? 

They brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks.

Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight. And they were put to death. One at a time. Whack, whack, whack. The lists are my enemies. Not His people. 

Therefore may I be strong and courageous. For He is with me.

Come rescue me.

For You are good,

You are so good to me.