Trumpets blared, people shouted, birds sang - they were living in Canaan now. But in the midst of their time of joy and sunshine, there appeared a cloud. There always will come a cloud in our day, no matter how bright the sun shines. We thank God that it is so, for were it not for that cloud we should be completely lost in our feast and we would forget our need for God. In the shout of the victor's song we would forget the God of battles, through whom came the victory.
Life is always a challenge - there are always victories to be won.
There are always walled cities that have to be taken. The victories of yesterday are sometimes forgotten as we prepare ourselves for the battles of the morrow. Not far away from some Gilgal we shall always find a Jericho. On the other side of every Jordan there is a Moab, and wrapped in every song we can find a heartache. Naomi baptized the barley fields of Bethlehem with her tears.