The inhabitants of Gibeon also heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, but they on their part acted craftily and went and took provisions for a journey, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins that were worn out, split open, and patched, and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled. And they went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now then, make a covenant with us.”

There are five senses that we use to navigate daily life: sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell. We depend on these and use them without even thinking about it. We smell the brownies, and we instinctively check them in the oven. We touch a hot surface and immediately react moving our hand quickly away. Logic tells us those are all the senses we need, yet we often use the term “sixth sense” to refer to the ability to discern something apart from those physical senses. A sixth sense might be when someone has a feeling trouble is around the corner or can quickly read another person’s motives.

This week, we are looking at a passage where the Israelites were fooled by a neighboring group because they did not seek wisdom from God. Many of us pride ourselves on having good discernment and knowing what to do in any given scenario. That is why we are often so stunned when we realize things are not always what they seem. We beat ourselves up wondering, “How could I have been so wrong?” The truth is, depending on our own discernment will always lead us astray. We may be able to time it right to know when the brownies are ready or when to take our hand off the stove, but there are many other things in life that we can’t do on our own. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds of this saying, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Life can be tricky at times—we don’t always know who to believe or what to do. But as followers of Jesus, we have access to the Source of life who knows all things. He will guide us through the challenges of life and take us to places where we must trust who He is more than what we can see. And ultimately, He is all we need.

• When have you depended on your senses and made a decision that you regretted later?
• How do you most often decide what to do at any given moment? Who or what do you rely on?
• Pray and ask God to help you learn how to depend on Him for the decisions you make.