An Extra Day

Sunrise - شروق الشمس, originally uploaded by 【Qatari】™.

Today is February 29th, 2008--An Extra Day! Leap Day! WaaaHooo!

For all of us who complain about never having enough time to do all that we have to do--Congratulations! Thanks to the difference between our 365-day-a-year calendars and the earth's rotation around the sun, we need an extra day to keep our calendar in sync with what's going on in our solar system. Neat, huh?

There was also a time in history when God dramatically intervened in the life of His people to enable them to win a great military victory. The story unfolds in Joshua, Chapter 10. Five kings had joined together to fight against the nation of Israel's ally Gibeon. (v.1-6)

The people of Gibeon call for help from Joshua. (v.6)

Joshua and his troops come to the rescue and defeat the invading armies. But there's just not enough time to finish the battle. So God does something amazing. Let's pick up the story..."Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he (Joshua) said in the sight of Israel, 'O sun, stand still at Gibeon, and O moon in the valley of Aijalon.' So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies..." (Joshua 10:12,13a)

Verse fourteen is really cool. "There was no day like that before it or after it, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel."

Moral of the story? When you're in a fierce battle (health, finances, relationships, etc.), don't hesitate to talk to God about it. He probably won't stop the sun and put the moon in a holding pattern. Don't look for a repeat performance.

However, God does say for us to bring our concerns to Him. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7)

On this extra day at the end of February (we won't get another one until 2012) remember that God stands ready to help us in wonderful ways whenever we call out to Him.

Enjoy today...an extra day...a leap day!

Live the Red,

Mark