VICTORY : Wonders Among Us - Joshua 3

Before entering the Promised Land, the nation of Israel would face one last test from God. This test was meant to prepare them for and consecrate their hearts so that they may make the most of their life in the land. God brought Joshua and the nation to the Jordan River, which seemed like an impossible barrier between them and where they wanted to be. However, the water would not part like the Red Sea had - this crossing would be different. God commands the nation to begin walking into the rushing, roaring water, and leave the rest to Him. God uses this episode to wire their hearts to Him by faith, and break their sensitivity to and reliance on what they saw and how we felt. Crossing the Jordan River represents a pathway from death to life. What seems like a stumbling block is really a stepping stone. Crossing over the Jordan is a transformative passage, teaching us to rely on the Lord and to find ourselves in Him and His way. What feels like cost, is actually bringing about great gain. Our flesh would rather avoid going ankle deep into the brink of rushing water, but the end result could be a full heart of God’s Spirit. May we see every obstacle as an opportunity this week, to grow closer to the Lord. The deep challenges of life may very well take us deeper in our faith. Anything that shakes our reliance on this world, is ultimately a good thing, as it’s meant to shift our weight towards the Lord. Joshua 3:13 describes God as "the LORD of all the earth", but what was most important in this story, was that the people allow Him to be LORD over their little piece of the earth. As they took those steps into the water, it was imperative that they trust Him and leave the unknowns in His hands. This text leaves us with this same question - Is the LORD of all the earth the LORD over our little portion of this earth? Are we walking by faith, not by sight or feelings? Have we found ourselves and do we continually find ourselves in Him?