Remember the hype about the Great American Eclipse last year? We anticipated it for months, we bought our eclipse glasses and planned our schedules around it. At school we educated our students about the event, and about safety in its viewing. We practiced walking outside with our heads down and eyes shielded, then putting on the glasses and looking up when it was time. We watched videos and did art projects and activities to simulate the eclipse. Then the big day came. An event of a lifetime, one which we were fortunate to witness. Epic.
Yet many of us didn’t find it amazing. For all the anticipation, it was just okay. We’ve almost forgotten about it. It was not epic.
Epic means heroic, majestic, impressively great. We knew the exact time the eclipse would happen on August 21, 2017 because of science. Years of research on the part of mankind has provided an explanation of this phenomenon. And it’s impressive that, because of scientific advancements, we were able to prepare for and witness this once in a lifetime occurrence.
But the real epic happenings in life are the miracles of God. One such event occurred in Joshua 10. In the battle against five armies at Gibeon, God caused the sun to stand still for a whole day in answer to Joshua’s prayer, giving the Israelites time to accomplish a complete victory before darkness fell.
Joshua was not prepared with his glasses; he did not have researchers telling him that it would happen. He asked God for the impossible. When we ask according to God’s will, and we’re willing to fight the battle, he will hear us. God gave Joshua the daylight; but Joshua still had to fight the battle. Perhaps there has not been a day as epic since Joshua’s long day, but God continues to hear our prayers and provide what we need to fight our battles. Surely he is fighting for us. That is epic.
There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel! -Joshua 10:14
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