Only every four years, February 29th comes around. I’ve always wondered how people that are born on February 29th celebrate their birthday. Since that date only comes around every four years, does that mean they are younger because they have had fewer birthdays? Probably not, right?
The whole concept of a leap year intrigues me. To avoid our seasons rotating through the calendar, we add a day every four years to keep the seasons and months matching up. (It would be weird to have freezing temperatures in July.) That’s about as technical as I will get with the reason we have the leap day.
The real question is, what will you do with this extra day? New Testament Christians are encouraged to consider each day as the time God has given us to serve Him. Ephesians 5:15-17 says, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Time is a valuable and limited resource.
Joshua seemed to understand the will of the Lord and how time was valuable. In the book of Joshua, we have a record of His prayer asking God to give them more time to fight against their enemies, the Amorites.
Joshua 10:12-14 – “Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “O sun, stand still at Gibeon, And O moon in the valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. There was no day like that before it or after it, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.”
God fought against the enemies of Israel as He protected her from harm. He was there for Joshua and the troops, even raining down hail on the Amorites, killing more people with hailstones than with the sword (Joshua 10:11).
That was a special day and there has not been a day like it since. There has never been another day where the Lord listened to the voice of a man like that. Joshua wanted more time to fulfill the Lord’s will. Isn’t that amazing?
Does it challenge you as it challenges me? I need to pray and ask God for more time to do His will.
Tomorrow, I have it. It’s an extra day added at the end of February. An additional day to carry out the will of God. How amazing!
What are you doing tomorrow that is fulfilling God’s will?
I love you,
Alexander