Nothing is Secret | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Nothing is Secret | Previous Challenge Entry
By linda simpson
12/07/17
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Nothing is Secret

He tossed and turned. His mind was whirling uncontrollably – it wouldn't shut off. Why had he given in yet again to his weakness for rich textiles and the shimmer of silver and gold?. Seeing the enormous accumulation of items being saved from Jericho, the old longing to 'possess' overtook him. Volunteering to help move the treasure made it easy for him to secrete objects and coins in his robe. He buried them under the floor of his tent away from prying eyes and was positive no one had seen him.

Fleetingly he remembered Joshua's stern warning.
“Don't take any gold, silver, lead or iron, they are for the Lord's treasury. If you do you will bring destruction on yourself and trouble on Israel!”
“Surely no one would miss that little amount. What harm could it possibly do?” he had convinced himself at the time.

As a youth, his mother had repeatedly warned him “One day your greed will get you into trouble!”.
Up until now he had managed to wriggle out of the debt and other distress his passion created. But this time was different. He felt sick at the thought of the possible repercussions as Joshua's warning,
for some reason, now kept ringing in his ears.
Sweating, he remembered, also, how Joshua instructed all Israel to purify themselves.
He'd stated “The Lord is going to reveal the one who has taken from His treasury, and thus caused the defeat at Ai.”
“Perhaps someone else took a lot more than I did, really it wasn't very much” he tried to convince himself. It didn't work.
Tormented with anxiety he waited for the sun to come up.

In the early morning Joshua was told by the Lord to single out the tribe of Judah.Then one by one the different clans, until it came to Zimri's family. Household by household they came, until filled with fear and dread, his name was called out.
“Achan, tell me the truth have you stolen from the Lord's treasury and brought trouble on Israel?” asked Joshua.
“Yes I have sinned against the Lord!” replied Achan trembling, realizing his fate.
“I took a beautiful robe, silver coins and a gold bar. They are hidden under my tent.”

Servants found the items exactly where Achan said. They were brought to Joshua and all the Israelites and laid out before the Lord.

Achan, his family, all his belongings, and herds together with the stolen goods were transported to the valley of Achor. There they were stoned to death, burned and buried under a pile of rocks,
because he had brought trouble on Israel. (The name Achan means troublesome).

Afterwards Joshua, encouraged by the Lord, took his army and destroyed the city of Ai.

Ecc 12:14 tells us
“For God will bring every work into judgement,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.”

Mark 4:22 says
“For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but
that it should come to light”

Thankfully, because of God's great love and Jesus' willing precious sacrifice, we don't have to face the same fate as Achan. Keeping things hidden leaves a doorway for the devil to cause havoc. Therefore, guided by our Lord, we need to bring out any 'skeletons in our closets'. In His loving presence we can repent, be forgiven and, if necessary, seek good Christian council. Nothing is too big or too small for God's forgiveness. There is always hope and a future with Christ in our lives and we feel so much better with our closets cleaned out!

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