A Better Plan
- AfraOpoku
- March 31, 2026
- Uncategorized
- 0 Comments
He was definitely a planner.
With Moses gone, Joshua was acutely aware the responsibility of a couple of million people was on him.
Moses had disobeyed1 and God had denied him and most of his generation entry into the promised land.
Joshua and Caleb had stayed the course and were now the only ones left of the older generation that had come out of Egypt.2
Finally, it was crunch time at the edge of the Jordan and Joshua’s sights were set on the first enemy.
Jericho.3
Facing a city that fortified; this new leader went to a common playbook.
The more information you have, the better your decisions.
He sent out spies, trusting the information they brought would direct his tactical plan.3
As it turned out, God had a different strategy.
The curious thing was, God didn’t stop Joshua from executing his plan.
The Almighty didn’t put any embargo on sending out the spies.
He let Joshua do what Joshua wanted to do.
It was only after Joshua played his hand that God unfolded the divine strategy that would win the battle.4
Israel was first to cross the Jordan.
How do you do that with a flooding river?
God had it covered.5
Then there was the plan for Jericho; except it was the most non-militant plan ever to cross any warrior’s desk.
In what playbook do you go against a fortified city with… trumpets and a parade?
In an age that didn’t have cannons or drones; the logical thing would have been to use another kind of firepower to breech the walls.
That wasn’t God’s plan at all.
Remarkably, Joshua didn’t protest when he was told the unusual battle-plan he was to follow.4
In Joshua’s shoes, I probably would have had a question or two?
Why didn’t God stop the spies?
What if Jericho’s walls don’t come down?
What if we get shot at, going round the city?
These are legitimate questions.
Joshua chose to not ask them.
Like Joshua, I’m a planner.
I hate being interrupted when I’m in execution mode.
I may take suggestions on how to alter my plan but I’m very tunnel visioned when getting things done.
The planning is where our similarities end.
Joshua put God’s plan ahead of his.
Knowing what ensued, that was a good move by all accounts.
God came through.
Israel did cross the Jordan.
The walls of Jericho did come down.
God’s plan got them into the city and they were able to rescue a woman who would turn out to be vital in birthing an even bigger miracle.7
It is said, if you want God to laugh tell him your plans.
That’s not to say we shouldn’t plan or that God -by default- junks all our plans.
It is to say we should remain interruptible, even when we’re sure of our plan.
God’s plan may not make sense to us; but obedience is always better.
God factored Rahab in His new plan and chose her for a mission Joshua could never have envisaged
By all means make your plans
Then trust the master to give the plan.
His is always better.
- Deut- 3v25-26
- Numb 14v30
- Joshua 2 v 1
- Joshua 6 v 2-5
- Joshua 3v8
- Matt-1 v 1-5)