Step Into The Water

I had read it in my quiet time about Stepping Into the Water:

"Be bold and willing to move when God directs - even it the "water" (your different circumstance) has not parted yet."

And here is my own, personal reflection...

Joshua was Moses' assistant who took over the leadership of Israel. Joshua was 90 years old when Moses died and passed his baton of leadership over to him.

First of all - imagine for a moment being Joshua. Moses was considered to be the greatest of all the Old Testament prophets, one in whom the Lord knew intimately. My Bible commentary says, "Not until John the Baptist was there another prophet greater than Moses." Can you even imagine being Moses' successor??? Can you even imagine for a second trying to fill THOSE shoes??? WOW!

To top it all off... Joshua's very first assignment as told in Joshua 1, was to lead God's people across the Jordan River to the land that was promised to them.

God was leading Joshua and the Israelites to overtake Jericho which was west of the Jordan River, a river which flowed heavily with water. And even though he was quite certainly scared, God promised him that "everywhere you go, you will be on the land I have given you" (1:3). Joshua, even though he MUST have been overwhelmed by the task put in front of him, had the promise of God to carry with him. Joshua 1:5 says, "No one will be able to stand their ground against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you." I don't think it's a coincidence that the Lord says THREE times between verses 6 and 9 in chapter 1, "Be strong and courageous". THREE times. You think He was trying to get his attention about something?

And I don't know about you - but MANY times I need God to tell me something three times before it finally sinks in! Shamefully, sometimes more than that!

We go on to read about the success that Joshua had in leading the Israelites across the Jordan River. The priests were given instruction to, "Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river"(3:6). And so they started out. Joshua explained what was going to happen next, "The priests will be carrying the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. When their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will pile up there in one heap" (3:13).

I want to stop there for a minute and consider the fear that these priests must have had. A new leader, new territory and now you want us to have enough faith to risk our lives by getting into the water?! I can hear them now trying to make excuses for why staying home and watching a little football seemed like the safer choice! But - that was not God's plan and that's not what happened. We read on about the priests obedience and the sacrifice they made for the higher calling from God. We read about the fulfillment of God's promise to Joshua in chapter 3, verses 15-16, "Now it was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the River's edge, the water began piling upstream, and the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry." Then the people crossed over near the city of Jericho.

There are many lessons in this story of Joshua leading the people across the Jordan River. Lessons on faith, obedience and trust. But there is something else I think God wants me to learn here. It wasn't until the priests put their feet into the water that is parted. It wasn't until the priests took that first step of faith... stepping into a rapid flow of water... that the water finally stopped flowing and temporarily dried up allowing the people to cross and ultimately God's promise to be fulfilled.

I believe the same promise that was made to Joshua is the same promise God's making to us! He will be with us. He will not abandon us!

It got me thinking... What is it that God is calling me to do for Him that seems a bit frightening? What am I doing right now in my life that requires THIS kind of faith? Joshua faith? What am I so afraid of? Perhaps God is calling me to TAKE that first STEP of obedience so that He can part the waters in my life!

My lesson furthered my thinking on this...

"Is God asking you to do something beyond your abilities and comprehension? Maybe you see only the waters ahead. Step out in faith if He is leading you to move. He will part the waters to accomplish His assignments. Future generations will be blessed because of your faithfulness to trust in God's provision in your life." {Chris Adams}

I've been thinking about those first steps and what they might be in my own life...

Maybe God is asking me TRUST Him more with what is His anyway.
Maybe my first step is believing that He is who He says He is and He can do what He says He can do.
Maybe my first step is strengthening my prayer time.
Maybe my first step is saying no to some things so that I can say YES to the bigger things God has for me.
Maybe my first step is letting go of the things I hold so tightly to and allowing God full control of not just some of the areas of my life - but ALL of them.

There are so many first steps that we can take. If God is leading - then we have to be willing to move. The ball is in our court.

What step will we take toward the amazing things God has in store for each of us? How will we respond to His instruction to step out into the flowing waters and trust Him with the rest?

God is waiting on you... what's your first step of faith?

Incidentally... after Joshua fulfilled his assignment of leading the Israelites, Joshua's glory day came... Joshua 4:14, "That day the Lord made Joshua great in the eyes of all the Israelites, and for the rest of his life they revered him as much as they revered Moses." WOW! Being obedient to God is worth it! It may not always bring this type of glory and that's okay.. it's not man's approval we seek anyway - it's God's. After my race is run I pray that God will be so pleased by me that I might hear... "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" (Matt. 25:23)

Press on friends,