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Some [things] cannot be taken by direct assault; they must be taken like Jericho. — Ortega

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I’ve been thinking a lot about circles lately.

So much of life is defined by circles—our days, week, months, and years form circles for us to move in and through. We’re constantly reminded that the end of a thing has a way of taking us back to a beginning.

It would seem the cosmos announces the Circle as God’s shape of choice.

But in a world where progress is defined by straight lines and checked boxes, corporate ladders and bar charts, what’s circular is often considered unsuccessful—a waste of time and energy.

We prefer the efficiency of the “direct assault.”

I love the story of Jericho and its 13 circles. For seven days Israel walked around Jericho, seeing it from every angle. With each pass, they became more familiar with their pursuit, more aware of the promise, more in tune with the tension.

The militant voices of human strategy and efficiency were silenced. The only sound, until the very end, was the blast of the trumpets, which was a constant symbol of praise, a defiant declaration. Only through silence would victory find its sound.

And in the end, one week of walking in faithful circles accomplished something that would’ve taken months of direct assault.

Response

The question that I want us to be prayerful about this week is, What is my Jericho?

Closing Thoughts

When it comes to prayer as a way of life, God often invites us into the circular nature of prayer, helping us not default to direct assaults that are limited to own our strength and understanding.It may seem like prayer (and life) is leading you nowhere but don’t believe the lie. Your present moment is both familiar and new, and that’s how it must be. You are not stuck, for the circle is, in fact, your way forward.

Praying with you,

Addison

P.S. If you’ve read Words with God, I’d be so grateful if you wrote a review. Your words help more people find it. And if you don’t have the book yet, well, you can get it on Amazon, through the Messenger Store, or wherever you get your books.