"At that time the Lord said to Joshua, 'Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelite men again.'"
Joshua 5:2
Every time I've read this in the past, I stopped and gawked at how painful that would be, and wondered why God would ask circumcised men to do that to themselves again... This is the first time I ever read the rest of the passage:
"This is the reason Joshua circumcised them... none of the people born in the wilderness along the way were circumcised after they had come out of Egypt... They were still uncircumcised since they were not circumcised along the way."
Joshua 5:4a,5b,7b
The men who were ready to storm the walls of Jericho were uncircumcised. God commanded them to do this because they had not done this in the Wilderness. It is a symbol of one's allegiance to God (and you'd have to be committed to do that as a grown man).
Question of the Day:
In what way is God asking you to serve him now, which previous circumstances didn't allow? Are you willing to go as far as to circumcise yourself, literally or figuratively?
Prayer of the Day:
God, you know my heart. If you desire for me to devote myself to you in a way that I have not already done, change the desire of my heart. Move me towards Your role for me and help me encourage those around me to seek Your will as well. Amen.
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