Welcome to today's word of encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

The devotional writer for today is James Banks, and the reading is titled, Pressing Pause to Pray.

The fire hydrant gushed into the street and I saw my opportunity. Several cars had

splashed through before me and I thought, what a great way to get a free wash. My car hadn't been

cleaned for a month and the dust was thick, so I fired it up and headed into the deluge.

Crack! It happened so fast.

The sun had already beaten down on my black car that morning,

heating its glass and interior,

but the water from the hydrant was frigid.

As soon as the cold gush hit the hot windshield,

a crack struck, like lightning from top to bottom. My free car wash ended up costing

me plenty. If I had only pressed pause beforehand to think or even to pray. Ever have a moment like that?

The people of Israel did, under far weightier circumstances. God had promised to help them drive out other nations as

they entered the land he'd given them so that they wouldn't be tempted by false gods. But one of the

nations saw Israel's victories and used stale bread to trick them into believing they lived far away.

Joshua chapter 9 verses 14 through 15 says,

The Israelites sampled their provisions, but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a

treaty of peace unknowingly circumventing God's instructions. When we make prayer a first resort

instead of a last, we invite God's direction,

wisdom, and blessing. May he help us remember to press pause today.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading comes to us from Joshua, chapter 9, verses 7 through 15.

The Israelites said to the Hivites, but perhaps you live near us.

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