Stepping out in Faith

A few mornings ago I read Joshua 3 (which was pretty awesome timing, because that was also the passage at church last weekend!), and I was struck by two different, yet I think complementary, things.

To set the scene, Joshua has recently been placed in leadership by God (after the death of Moses). The Israelites are camped one on side of the Jordan River, which they need to cross to enter the Promised Land. It’s harvest season, which also means that the river is at flood stage (v. 15). 

“Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.

And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.  Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”

Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.  This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.  See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you.  Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.  And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”” (Joshua 3:5-13)

God told Joshua what to tell the priests, and Joshua obeyed and told them. And the priests obeyed the Word of the Lord.

“So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.  Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet 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. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.  The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.” (Joshua 3:14-17) 

This is such an awesome reminder of God’s power! He controls the winds and the waves, and rivers! He provided for the Israelites’ immediate need—crossing the Jordan—in a miraculous way. He reminded them of His power, His control, and His provision. 

The other part that really jumped out to me, though, was the priests’ responsibility in this chapter. God told them to not just walk up to the edge of the Jordan, but to then GO STAND in the river. God hadn’t stopped the flowing water yet.

It was still a strong current.

The water was still rushing. 

Yet, the priests obeyed. They went to the river’s edge, and when their feet touched the water, that’s when God stopped the flowing water upstream!

God knew that exactly how He was going to provide for the Israelites, but He asked the priests to step out IN FAITH. Faith that He would do what He had said He'd do. 

And the priests obeyed. And God, like always, came through. 

The Israelite priest's obedience preceded God's miracle. They stepped out in faith, in obedience, and He showed them His power and might, just like He said He'd do. 

Reading this passage had made me think about how often I DON'T step out in faith, and has made me wonder what I've missed seeing because of that. 

God has commanded us to "love another," (John 13:34) and to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind." (Matthew 22:37). He also commanded us to "go and make disciples of all nations..." (Matthew 28:19). 

I know what I've been told to do. 

But how often do I NOT love the Lord with my whole heart? 

How often do I NOT show love to those around me? 

And how often do I NOT share the Good news of Christ? 

When I fail to obey what God has commanded, I miss out on the miracle. I don't know how God would use my obedience, it might be in big ways and it might be in small ways. And it might just be to change MY heart, to help me to grow in holiness. 

But I do know this, I don't want to miss it! I want to walk in obedience to what God has called me to do, and I want to see how He works, how He displays His power and might and love. 

I want to be like the Israelite priests, walking to the edge of the Jordan, getting their feet wet, and trusting that God would do what He said He'd do. 

I want to step out in faith, trusting that my God will come through, always.