We’ve read before about the manslayer and the avenger of blood and how the person who killed someone by accident could live in a city of refugee until the high priest died. Then he could safely return to his home. What we haven’t talked about is the other part, how he has to present himself before the congregation for judgment.

What an awful feeling, to have to stand before the congregation for judgment. I suppose they have to decide if it was an accidental death. Was there hate in his heart, or did it just happen?

It’s easier for me to trust God for healing or for deliverance and help in so many other ways than when it involves other people. Somehow God gets smaller in my eyes when I have to rely on someone else’s decision.

We need to remember that even when other people are involved, we’re still relying on God. We’re not relying on anyone else to make the right decision, to make the right move.

Joseph wasn’t relying on Potiphar to realize that he was a good guy or on the cup bearer to mention him to Pharaoh. It was God who was orchestrating everything. God used those men in the right way at the right time.

If we were in charge, we would never have any suffering, but then no character would be produced in us, and we wouldn’t have a shared identity in Christ.

It’s best if we let God write our story. He is the author anyway. Much better to let Him write it and enjoy the story, then to try and write in our own version and make the tale take all sorts of hard twists and turns to get us back onto the storyline.

Then, if something absolutely horrible happens, like you accidently kill someone like this chapter in Joshua is about, then you can rest in the knowledge that it is from God. He’s writing His story. It was an unexpected plot twist, but He’s working it out for your good and His glory. You can know there’s a good ending to the story. The person who died had a story too, and it didn’t end with their death.

God’s story is good and perfect. You will never be sad because you got to the end of the good story, because His story lasts an eternity.