James 2:17-18 In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works.

Has the Lord ever laid it upon your heart to do something outlandish or something that seemed out of the ordinary?

There are stories in the Bible where God used ordinary men and women to do extraordinary things in order to accomplish His purposes. Things that probably seemed insignificant in their beginning stages. He told Noah to build an ark which took him over a hundred years to build. Can you imagine working on the same construction project for that length of time? But God had a plan and a purpose for it. He was going to send flood waters upon the earth to destroy all mankind because of their wickedness and rebellious nature (Genesis 6:12-13). God saved Noah and his family because Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8-10). The Lord used Noah to build an ark to preserve him and his household as well as the animal kingdom (Genesis 6:14, 17-22; Genesis 7:1-3). And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.

The Lord also used others such as Moses, Joshua, Samson, King David, Ezekiel, Daniel, The Apostle Paul, and many others. Speaking of Joshua, the Lord used him to overtake Jericho. In Joshua 6, the Lord gave him very specific instructions to follow in order for the Lord’s plan to succeed. Before I share this bible story, I must warn you that these instructions sound absurd and crazy according to human logic. But they came directly from the Lord and Joshua heeded His voice. Let these words saturate your thoughts: JOSHUA HEEDED AND OBEYED THE LORD AND DID WHAT HE WAS COMMANDED! He didn’t subject himself or listen to his own human reasoning. At least that’s not what the text tells us. The Lord told Joshua that he would overtake Jericho, but first, he and the people were to march around the city once for six days without making a single sound. They were to do so quietly. Then came the seventh day. Joshua and the people rose early, marched around the city seven times, and at the seventh time, the priests blew the trumpet, and Joshua commanded the people to shout with a great shout. Once they shouted, the wall of the city fell down flat and they advanced the city, and overtook it as the Lord commanded.

Wow! I wondered what the people of Jericho were thinking as they marched around their city for seven days. They probably thought Joshua and the people were crazy or out of their minds. I also wonder if any of the Jericho residents thought about approaching Joshua or anyone in his entourage to find out what was the meaning of this? If a person or a group of people were marching around my city or my neighborhood, I would do my best to find out why. I definitely wouldn’t just sit back and watch. Once I found out that the Lord’s judgment was coming, I would be repenting left and right of all my sins while telling others to do the same – Repent and Turn to The Lord so that our lives may be spared. I would also load up my donkeys with my belongings, take my family, and flee the city. This is just my take on both events: Noah and the Ark and Joshua’s Assignment in Jericho. I believe the Lord was giving the people in both time eras a wake-up call. He was giving them time to repent of their sins before judgment came. If any one of them would have asked or inquired, humbled themselves, repented, and turned to the Lord, their lives probably would have been spared. But instead, they probably mocked and laughed not giving it a second thought. Then judgment came. This is a reminder to all of us that we shouldn’t take God’s grace or mercy for granted. Yes, He is Sovereign, Loving, Forgiving, and Long-Suffering, but He will not excuse or overlook sin. We must be careful ladies. None of us are perfect and we will sin, but we shouldn’t sin habitually and live recklessly. Our lives should be a sweet smelling aroma to the Lord.

Back to our story. It took Great Faith in a GREAT GOD for Noah and Joshua to believe that God could and would use them in a mighty way to accomplish His purposes.

Ladies, I highly encourage you to submit and surrender yourself fully to the Lord. He wants to use you and I in mighty ways to fulfill His purposes while bringing glory to His name. Will you trust in the Lord and act in faith when He calls you to do something beyond your human understanding? I hope you will. Remember, God always has a plan. He sees the big picture, we don’t. In time and if He so chooses, He will reveal it to us. Regardless though, we are each called to trust in and obey Him at all times. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). We serve a Great God and He desires that we place our faith in Him and not lean on our own understanding. Remaining anchored in and connected to Him, we can do great and mighty things. He will equip and empower us with His Holy Spirit to fulfill our God-given assignments. Apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). Will you allow Him to use your ordinary life to do something extraordinary for His kingdom? He is faithful! Trust the Lord and fully surrender yourself to Him.

James 2:26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. 

Jeremiah 33:3 Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and wondrous things you do not know.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.