Living in Constant Readiness

Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”

Joshua 3:5 ESV

The Israelites are getting ready to cross the Jordan to take on Jericho.

The momentum is building, and the Israelites are under the impression that God is about to perform something great.

But what did Joshua mean by “sanctify?”

The definition is to “set apart” or “declare holy.” To live a sanctified life first begins with possessing a legitimate relationship with the Lord.

By just following rules, we are only practicing religion. Whenever Moses went to speak to the Lord, his face would glow. This glow was apparent to all who were around him. While our faces may not physically glow, our lives should.

It struck me that Joshua specifically instructed the people to sanctify themselves before this huge manifestation of God in tearing down the walls of Jericho. Do we live sanctified lives only when we want God to perform miraculous works for us?

We may enter an intense period of prayer in order to ask God for his intervention. However, once our prayers have been answered and the situation has resolved, our intensity for God ebbs with time. In essence, there are peaks and valleys in our relationship with God.

We have essentially said, “God, I will pray to you about the big situations and I will handle the small situations.” In doing so, we have come to rely upon our own understanding.

You see, God tells us that we should live lives that are constantly sanctified, which allows us to continually serve as His vessels.

Once we live lives constantly moved by God, a great miracle can be as simple as using the love of Christ to encourage someone to come to church.

Guest devotion by Rosita Ekem. Rosita enjoys diving into the word of God and discerning what God desires for her.