Read
And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,
until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.
Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.
Joshua 10:13
Reflect
There are a lot of stories in the Bible that people say are impossible, and I understand why. If you are looking at those stories only through the limits of what we normally see, some of them sound fantastic.
Noah’s ark. Jonah in the big fish. The walls of Jericho. The fall of Sodom and Gomorrah. Joshua and the sun standing still.
These stories boggle the mind if we think God is limited within the universe He created. But that is where faith begins to see differently. I believe it all, and I do not have to know exactly how it happened. I just know that somehow and in some way, God did what the writers of the Bible say He did.
Joshua 10 tells the story of Joshua leading the children of Israel into battle against the armies of five kingdoms. Facing massive odds, Joshua told his people not to fear, and he trusted the Lord for victory.
Then came one of the most mysterious moments in Scripture. Joshua asked the Lord for the sun and moon to stand still, and the Bible says the sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.
There are many interpretations of Joshua’s request. Some believe God extended the daylight in a supernatural way. Some suggest an unusual atmospheric event. Some researchers have even proposed that the passage may describe an ancient eclipse, possibly one of the earliest recorded. The biblical writers often described events as they appeared from the ground, which is still how we speak today when we talk about sunrise and sunset.
Around the same time, the Bible also records a hailstorm in which great stones fell on the enemy soldiers. However God chose to act that day, the point of the story is not that we can explain every detail. The point is that Joshua prayed, the Lord answered, and God gave His people victory.
That comforts me.
Hailstorms, eclipses, extended daylight and the movement of creation itself are all beyond my control. But they are not beyond God’s control. A God who can command the heavens can handle anything I bring before Him.
That makes my problems look different. They may still feel heavy. They may still hurt. They may still look impossible from where I stand. But if I can trust that God did amazing things to save Joshua and the children of Israel, then I can trust Him to do what is needed in the pressing issues of my life.
I do not have to understand everything. I need to have faith in Him, and I need to commit myself to staying within His will. He will do the rest.
Today, you might have major issues facing you that seem impossible to overcome. Logic and reason may tell you that your problems are too big, or that God does not care, or that He is not able to handle them.
But the God who held the sun in the sky can hold you in the palm of His hand.
Bring your worries to Him. Trust Him with what you cannot control. Allow Him to handle your problems and concerns in His perfect way.
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Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
