Daily Devotion

“He so regulates the knowledge of Himself that He has given signs of Himself, visible to those who seek Him, and not to those who seek Him not. There is enough light for those who only desire to see, and enough obscurity for those who have a contrary disposition.”

Blaise Pascal · Pensées, §430 (Brunschvicg numbering; tr. W. F. Trotter)

Scripture

Joshua 10:12-13 On the day the Lord delivered the Amorites into the hands of Israel, Joshua prayed to the Lord before the Israelites, saying, “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; Moon, stand still over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stood still, until the nation had avenged its enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stood still in the middle of the sky, and did not hastily set for about a whole day.

Reflection

Joshua's cry was not an attempt to escape the battle, but a plea for God to extend the time of His work. We often lament the fleeting nature of time in our busy lives, neglecting the Lord who controls it. The "mysterious" nature of miracles reminds us that when challenges become long and arduous, they may not be an accumulation of suffering, but rather a grace deliberately extended by God for our ultimate victory. Rather than anxiously chasing the setting sun, we should pray in faith for the peace of "stillness." Even amidst the ceaseless clamor of the world, as long as we look to the heavens in our spirit, we can see, in the eternal gaze, the clues of victory God has left for those who seek Him.