Go and Stand in the [Rushing] River

(This is a picture I took in Yosemite of the Merced river leading up to Vernal Falls.)

"When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river." Joshua 3:8.

These are the Lord's instructions for the priests who are carrying the Ark of the Covenant during Joshua's reign in the desert. The Lord was going to stop the Jordan river from flowing so the Israelites could all cross over safely to the other side. The Bible says that Jordan was at flood stage during this time (Joshua 3:15). Can you imagine? Someone telling you that if you step into a flooding river, which can sweep you away in a second, the water will stop and pile up into a heap ahead of you and below you? But this was the only way, the Priests had to actually put their feet in the flooded river before the water would stop. That would take some guts and some faith!

I have seen a flooded creek, at my parent's old house on Shallowford. That little creek was pretty calm, but when it rained, that creek would turn brown and get moving pretty quickly, and this is only a small creek with a fraction of the water that the Jordan sees. It could not be as simple as speaking it into non-flowing mode, us humans would have taken it for granted, so the Lord had the priests stretch their faith and show the Israelites that there was nothing to be afraid of and that God could handle their circumstances. And there wasn't anything to be afraid of, God delivered all of them safely and there was even enough time for 12 other men to get large, heavy (I'm guessing on these adjectives) stones out of the center of the river in order to set up a monument in remembrance of God's faithfulness to the Israelites that day.

Has this ever happened in your life? Has God told you to step into a flooded river and THEN he will take care of your circumstances? Have you ever had to step out into faith not knowing what was next or even if you heard God's voice correctly? Sometimes our fear will take hold of us and we will try to control a situation that only God can handle and we will start sinking (just like Peter did when he went to walk on the water with Jesus, Matthew 14:30).

If we are not careful, our fear can sweep us away, just like stepping into a flooded river can, and this is just what Satan wants! God says that He's got this, we just need to be able to take that first step into faith and trust that God's plan is way better than we could have imagined.

Don't let fear run your life and keep you from opportunities that God has in store for you. "Perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). God loves us with perfect love, His love for us is what unconditional, unfailing love is modeled after. Believe that God loves you so much and when you feel that nudge to step out into faith, then He will stop the waters when you step into the rushing river.