Joshua 8:30-31 Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Ebal, As Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of Israel, as it written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift any iron: and they offered therein burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings.
After the victory at Ai, Joshua built an altar to worship the Lord, make offerings, and thank the Lord. He acknowledged that he did not win the battle himself in his own strength, but that the Lord did it. Appropriately, he built an altar unto the Lord in order to worship the Lord and give thanks for the victory. He followed the Lord’s instructions given through Moses to use uncut stones, presumably to preclude any human good works to make oneself acceptable.
The continual response of Christians to the gospel victory of Christ’s Resurrection is a life of worship, praise, and thanksgiving lived out in everyday living, punctuated with weekly worship and daily devotions. We are always enjoying Jesus’ victory over sin, death, and the devil. And it is good for us to pause for a bit to thank the Lord for a specific blessing or victory we just experienced. Thanking the Lord for everything marks the normal Christian life. And even if we don’t notice what the Lord just did for us we can always thank Him for the gift of forgiveness, life, and salvation. Recognizing God’s goodness in every circumstance strengthens us and brings internal joy and an external smile.