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Scripture:
"Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. At the end of three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” And Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people. The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you." (Joshua 3:1-7)Reflection:
All of us have experienced transitions. Not all our transitions are the same but we have the same God in every transitions.God initiated transition but it also requires our participation. Kung gusto mong baguhin at managumpay sa buhay mo, sumunod at gumalaw ka!
It's easy for us to relate to the emotions and thoughts of Israel. So many of us face "personal Jordans" that feel so permanent and powerful that we don't even try to make it across. Sometimes our lives feel delayed. We read so much of the bible, but can't make it out of the wilderness. Some people and Churches can feel that way too, stalemated by the promise of something great with God, but blocked by all kinds of barriers.
But with God can turn a "no way" into a highway! The great question that loomed over the camp of Israel and over our lives today is, "Will we walk by sight or by faith? Do we really believe God can handle the impossible?"
Joshua 3 goes on to tell us something that is echoed throughout the passage. What is impossible with men is possible with God. (Luke 18:27). God was about to reveal the steps that must be taken in every life and in every church if we are to move from grounded to grateful, from stranded in the past to wondering at God's future. The experiences and decisions in this chapter were a major breakthrough for Israel. A whole new generation learned that victory depended totally upon Him.
As we stand on the edge of God-sized future and consider the obstacles that hinder us, it can feel like we're facing an impossible task between here and there. But these things are no match for the God of the UNCROSSABLE. He knows how to get you from stuck to triumphant!
How To Cross Our "Personal Jordans"
1. Follow the movements of God (Joshua 3:2-4)
We must all focus and follow the movements of our Lord, so that where He leads, we will follow.2. Make necessary PREPARATION (Joshua 3:5)
Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, because the LORD will do wonders among you tomorrow.". The Hebrew word for consecrate means "to prepare, to dedicate, to be hallowed, to be holy, to be separate or set apart." God was telling His people that if they were going to cross the uncrossable and follow the will of the Lord, they must be set apart to Him. They must be holy. That involved basically two things:a. Personal repentance of every known sin
One of the primary reasons Israel found their way blocked, and one of the reasons we find ours often blocked, is sin. Isaiah the prophet wrote, "Indeed, the LORD's hand is not too short to save, and His ear is not too deaf to hear. But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have made Him hide [His] face from you so that He does not listen. (Isaiah 59:1,2)
b. Putting oneself on spiritual alert to see God at work
Consecration also involved things like washing your clothes, abstaining from sexual relations, changing your work schedule, and other things (in short eliminating distractions). They deliberately interrupted good and normal functions in life by God's command in order to be on spiritual alert. God was about to do "amazing things" among them; they didn't want to miss it by being involved in things they could do at other times.
Consecration means, "I will set aside the typical and put my spirit on ready to see where God is working around me so that I can join Him."
3. Step out in FAITH and stand still (Joshua 3:7-13)
You will never go wrong when we obey God. GOD wants you to go through TRANSITION with Him. "The LORD spoke to Joshua: 'Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they will know that I will be with you just as I was with Moses. Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan.' " (Joshua 3:7-8), then in verse 13 "When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, come to rest in the Jordan's waters, its waters will be cut off. The water flowing downstream will stand up [in] a mass."The moment of truth has come! The priests, carrying the Ark of the Covenant, must step out into the flood waters and then stand still right there! The command of God to step into the water called for them to get their feet wet. Faith moves you forward in God's way, in God's timing. And there will come a moment when you must act on what God has said. If you don't, you'll never cross the Jordan.
Focusing on the Lord is essential. And consecrating yourself to the Lord is vital. But we will never cross the river unless we take that step of faith. Our eyes and our hearts can be right on, but if we don't move our feet to meet the challenges, we will never progress in God's work. We must commit ourselves - our time, our energy, our money, our lives to what God is doing, or it won't happen.
Because of their faith and obedience they were able to see Miracles from God.
Photo by: Myungeun
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