Crossing Your Jordan

Day one hundred sixty-three

Last night after dinner I was doing the dishes and my husband came into the kitchen and started helping me.  For some reason that act brought back memories of when we were first married and we did everything together.  We were inseparable and loved doing even the most mundane tasks together.  We are reaching a point in our lives where it will soon be just the two of us again, and there is a comfort that comes to me in knowing that we still have the desire to do the mundane tasks together.  It makes me smile!

On this Sabbath day my prayer was one of gratitude for the blessings that have been placed in my life and for the love that He has shown me and my family.  I am grateful for a relationship with my husband that reminds me that God is in my life and that He loves me.  I am grateful that my sons have a good man to look to for an example and I am so grateful for the love that we all have for each other.  As I remember the Lord during the Sacrament today, I want to have a grateful heart for all He has done for me and make sure that my actions reflect what is in my heart.  

Joshua Chapter 3:1-4

The children of Israel are poised to enter into Canaan. They are ready to claim their inheritance in the land of promise. However, before they can enter Canaan, they must first get past one final, major obstacle: the Jordan River.  Normally, this would not have presented much of a problem, since the Jordan was only 100 feet wide at Gilgal where they crossed. However, it seems that God always does things in such a way that no man can boast of having done them on their own. This crossing would be no exception. You see, God brought them to the Jordan River at the time of harvest (Josh 3:15). During the harvest time the Jordan can swell to an impassable width of over 1 mile! There was no way they could cross this river on their own. They required some divine assistance!

I am always impressed with the way the Lord chooses to help His people.  In this case, He creates what seems like an impossible position and task, crossing the Jordan River, and uses it to make the most impact on ALL those that are involved.  The Israelites have a faith building experience and the people of Jericho have one more thing to add to their list of fears.  Then think about all the people who have read or heard about this story since the time it happened, each person has had some reaction either positive or negative.  I love the fact that He takes everything into consideration with every move.  I wish I was more like that, I would be a much better parent, teacher, etc!

We each have "Jordans" that we face from time to time. These are the obstacles that stand between us and our spiritual victories.  Sometimes we may feel that we will never be able to enter our Promised Land and enjoy the blessings promised us because our Jordan River seems impassable. I do not know all the obstacles that each person faces in their life, but I do know a God who specializes in overcoming the overwhelming and in leading His children to victory!

As I read this account in the scriptures I saw a message of hope.  The things that worked for the Israelites over 3000 years ago will still work for us today. So here is the Lord's advice on overcoming obstacles:

Watch God (v 3) - Notice that the Ark of the Covenant is mentioned some 7 times in chapter 3. The Ark, you may remember, was that special piece of Tabernacle furniture that symbolized the presence and power of God. When the Ark was in the Holy of Holies, the glory of God rested upon it and it was the dwelling place of God. To Israel, it represented God's presence in the midst of His people. In other words, when God moved, they were to move. When God stopped they were to do the same.

There is a valuable spiritual lesson in this passage, we would do well, when we face times of crisis, or when we need direction in life to learn to be sensitive to the movement of the Lord in and around us. It is a fact that God loves you and that He will show you what He is doing (John 5:19-20). If you will watch Him, He will teach you how to live day by day.

Follow God (v 3) - When they saw the Ark of the Covenant move, they were to "remove from your place, and go after it" Not only were they to watch God, they were to move when He did. They were to pursue God!

Again, the lesson for us is that it isn't enough to know what God is doing, there comes a time when you must "remove form your place and go after Him." This may require us to leave our comfort zone! Israel was about to follow the Ark through a river that was over 1 mile wide! That couldn't have been easy, but it was still necessary and right! Following God may not be the easiest thing we will ever do, but it will be the best thing we ever do. If we ever expect to get past our obstacles and enter our Canaan, we must learn to follow God.

Honor God (v 3-4) - Notice that the Israelites are told to put a space between them and the Ark. This was so that they could easily see what was happening ahead of them. Another reason is that the Lord wanted no one but the Levites near the Ark. To get too close would have meant death.

Again, there is a lesson here for us as well. We must always show God the proper honor. There must always be a holy reverence of the Lord in our hearts. It is our faith, obedience, and love for the Lord that allows us to be susceptible to the Spirit and to receive blessings.

Sanctify Yourself (v 5) - Next, the people were told to "sanctify yourselves." This referred to being sure they were as clean and holy as possible. They were to clean themselves physically and spiritually, putting away anything that was displeasing to the Lord. They were to examine themselves and get ready for the Lord to do something great for them.
 
If we are to get past the "Jordans" that arise in our lives, we are going to have to learn that one of the first things we must do is examine our lives to make sure they are as clean as possible. It means asking ourselves tough questions like, is everything in my life just as the Lord would have it to be?

It is interesting that these things are most easily accomplished by learning to walk in the Spirit. When we learn to give control of our life to the Lord and to follow Him, He leads us. It may not always be easy, but He promises us that if we will follow, He will certainly lead!