I'm thankful to be out of Deuteronomy ... and into the Promised Land of Joshua.
In today's readings, the Israelites were finally given the green light to move in and possess the Promised Land. But God was very specific in His instructions.
"Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.
Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before ... Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” - Joshua 3:1-5
Here's what this is saying to me today. We only move when God moves. This is not hard and it's not hidden. The people were not left standing there scratching their heads wondering ... "did they just move?" "do we wait?" The people simply had to move when the ark moved.
God does not leave us high and dry. I LOVE the words "Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before" ... never been the way of cancer? never been the way of jobless? never been the way of alone? never been the way of this new career? When we follow His leading, we will know which way to go... because while we've not been that way, He has.
When the people came to the Jordan, the swift, flood stage Jordan River. I would imagine, despite their excitement at finally moving that there was a bit of concern that they had come this far, just to be disappointed. But, just as Joshua said, when the priests' toes touched the water's edge, the water rolled back and the people (all whole bunch of them) were able to walk across on dry land.
But the follow is not enough. Because the buzz of following God into a new unknown ... well, even the amazing provision will be quickly forgotten. I forget that God provided my job when I was not the most qualified. I forget that His timing gave me the provision of a place to live. I forget that He is Jehovah Jireh, my provider. The Israelites would also forget His miraculous deeds.
SO ...
"Joshua erected a monument at The Gilgal, using the twelve stones that they had taken from the Jordan. And then he told the People of Israel, “In the days to come, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What are these stones doing here?’ tell your children this: ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry ground.’
“Yes, God, your God, dried up the Jordan’s waters for you until you had crossed, just as God, your God, did at the Red Sea, which had dried up before us until we had crossed. This was so that everybody on earth would recognize how strong God’s rescuing hand is and so that you would hold God in solemn reverence always.” Joshua 4:20-24
And this is why I have jars of rocks in my home ... to remember the deeds of the Lord, to tell others of what He has done. A few weeks ago I contacted my realtor to ask about possibly listing my house this summer. It has been three years since we met ... and then, only for a few hours. Her response was, "I was just thinking about you. Sounds silly, but I have a rock basket and more rocks outside and they remind me of you!" ... so, this morning, as I tossed and turned, worried about the house (again) ... trying to be wise ... praying for peace ... I need to put a rock in my jar to remind myself that the realtor God has entrusted to me, too, places stones of remembrance in her life. And I can trust Him to work today as He has worked throughout time ... to give me a future and a hope. I think I might need to add my sweet realtor to my rock jar. And, follow more closely, since I have not been this way before!
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