My spell checker wants to correct Achan to ‘Aching’, and maybe that’s a fair description of what we see in this story – the intense, painful and long lasting result of an incident or action.
A few years ago I got on my bike; it’d been gathering dust in the shed, my knees were suffering from years of running and I figured cycling would give them the break they deserved and me an alternative form of exercise. Being a bloke, I went for it, and knocked out 12 miles that evening on the first ride. I felt pretty good and after a shower and a couple of glasses of water, went to bed. In my diary for the next morning was a day conference in London – all I can tell you about the day is the aching….and the next day, and the day after …
Of course the ‘aching’ that comes from sin can be far more serious, far longer lasting and carrying far greater consequences.
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Joshua 7
Ideas 1: Achan messes up and the nation suffers! “A moment’s weakness leading to a lifetime of regret”. How many times have we heard that said, or perhaps said it ourselves? We lick our wounds and carry on, we resolve not to do it again and console ourselves with the lie that our sin really affects only us. The truth is our actions, like Achan’s, always impact others. A ripple goes out from us that touches many people. Our example and our actions, good or bad, rub off on those in our influence – simple as that.
- Have you bought into the lie that your sins are ‘isolated events’?
- Is there stuff you need to deal with that is adversely affecting others?
Idea 2: Hiding is not the answer When champion boxer Joe Louis fought Billy Conn in a rematch in 1946 he was asked how he was going to compete against the fast and cunning Conn? Louis had won the first match by a knockout in the dying seconds of the 13th round, after having been outboxed by the fast footwork of his opponent in the previous 12 rounds. In answer to the question, Louis famously said “He can run, but he can’t hide”.
Achan took what was God’s and tried to hide his crime. It was a clear and wilful violation of a direct order. He was given time to repent on his own; he could have come clean at any time, yet chose to wait through the casting of lots. Rather than admit his guilt and call on the mercy of God, Achan attempted to cover things up.
- Are you are running around with sin hidden in your heart?
- Get together with some blokes you trust and together confess those things that hold you back from the intimate relationship God wants with you.
- What would your life look like, free from the burden of guilt?
Idea 3: A desire for the latest ‘thing’ I’m guessing Achan, like a cowboy in a western, saw the ‘loot’ and couldn’t resist. He placed his desire for some shiny metal and a robe way ahead of God. Covetousness is probably some way down our ‘league table of sins’, especially if we feel that God withholds from us the things he gives to others. But covetousness is one of the most subtle of sins, because it leads to the attempt to find satisfaction in temporal things.
- What things are you accumulating or keeping hold of?
- How do you measure wealth and richness?
- How light are you prepared to travel to get closer to God?
Action
Like Achan, we’ve all messed up, covered up and built up. But praise God we have the cross, so don’t have to face the horrific consequences Achan did. If you’ve not already done so, link with a couple of blokes and commit to be open and transparent with each other. Pray, call each other to account, confess and repent together so that the enemy would have no foothold in your life and that you would draw closer to God.