“And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of
the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan
while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished
crossing the Jordan.”
The Israelites were facing a huge challenge. The Jordan river
was at flood stage, and it stood between them and the promised land. The annual flow of the Jordan today is about
2% of what it was, before multiple dams were constructed - and in biblical
times at this location it was a formidable obstacle.
The Israelites were not Navy Seals with sophisticated equipment to forge a
flooded river. They were families with children and possessions. Yet God’s
instructions were clear…”Cross the flooding river”.
Our verse says they crossed on dry ground - but if you read
two verses earlier - it took a step of faith to make that happen:
“15Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan
and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream
stopped flowing.”
Very clear language that the Priests stepped into the water
but landed on dry ground. Their feet hit solid ground, in what moments before, was
a raging river…
The water didn’t stop, and they took a step…. they took a
step, and the water stopped. That is a
critical point.
In my life I prefer for God to stop the water and then tell
me to walk – but that is not what happened here. This passage tells us that the entire nation
walked across without so much as a wet sandal. But it took that first step of
faith to stop the flood.
What raging river are you facing today? What situation is
calling you to step into the water in obedience? Will you be like the priests whose
feet touched the water’s edge and triggered a miracle? Their faith provided
safe passage for all that followed them.
God is in the business of delivering His people - but our
deliverance comes through faith and obedience. This morning you have a choice
to make…As you face your obstacle you can turn around and leave, or gaze into
the eyes of your Savior - and in obedience, take the step.
“Faith is deliberate confidence in the
character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.” - Oswald Chambers
No comments:
Post a Comment