When I was in China in July of last year, we had a game we played with the students called the trust walk. We played it on day 4 so by now the camp teams had been in place for several days. You see, we had given them some time to bond, but we were about to take their new friendships much farther. For the trust walk we blind folded every single team member so they can see absolutely nothing. Next, we tie them together into a single file line and then let their team leader (not blindfolded) lead them through a rather long and complicated obstacle course. Now think about this. Team member number 12 cannot see, hear or feel the team leader. He or she is completely dependent upon the person directly in front of them. It is a radical exercise in release of control, reliance upon others, trust in the unknown and even at times dealing with the fear of what's ahead. I walked the courses and silently watched the teams as they made their way in, through, around and over the obstacles we placed in their path. What I saw amazed me. On their own, anyone of these young healthy Chinese students could have sprinted through the course easily. But being bound to a team, their journey was hindered, their experience slowed and even complicated. Their success depended upon trusting someone else. You see, in life, it’s not about a journey we can quickly and easily traverse by ourselves, it’s about finding the perfect route God has for us, while we carefully (and at times blindly) follow Jesus, tethered to His side.
Today we look at Joshua chapter 3 and one of the most amazing miracles in the Bible, the Israelites crossing the Jordan river into the Promised land. This was one of God's most amazing physical miracles, damning a raging, flooding river for miles in each direction as His people walked across on dry ground. But what spoke to me today was just exactly how God instructed for His people to execute this miracle. You see, God could have just parted the river, but instead, just as He does in our lives today, He chooses to include us in His work. And as He included Joshua, the officers, the priests and the people, you can see a pattern of how God works amongst His people. I believe that the same pattern exists today. Let’s take a look at how God showed the Israelites the way across the river and how today, just like that trust walk, He shows us the way to blindly follow Him.
1) Hear God. It’s not a question of whether or not God is speaking, it’s a question of whether or not you are listening. This sounds rather obvious, but God has very clear, concise directions for your life, all you have to do is listen and hear them. In order to hear you need to become a good listener. A while back I bought three different books on becoming a good listener and they were invaluable. If you want to be a good listener, study, practice and then practice some more. God gives us great advice on listening. The first is, I’ll say rather bluntly, just shut up.
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” James 1:19
In order to hear God, you’ve got to first stop talking. Is your prayer time simply a laundry list of wants from God? Do you have a rehearsed set of needs in your life and you rattle them off and then cap it off with a quick amen? Try opening your prayer time with 60 seconds of silence. Fight for that silence. Quiet you mind, and let it be empty before God. God can’t fill a full mind, but He can put amazing things into an empty one.
2) Obey. If you become better at hearing from God yet don’t do exactly what He tells you, you’ll falter and experience great heartbreak. As the people crossed the Jordan, God had given them major details to follow. And they had to follow them perfectly. The Ark of the Covenant had to go before the people exactly 3,000 feet and the people could not come near it. The priests were to only dip their feet in the Jordan and then wait. As God parted the waters they were to move to the middle of the river and then stay put until all of the people safely moved across. You see, Joshua and his officers heard God and then they executed His commands perfectly.
When you go to great lengths to be still and hear from God, what do you do with the message He gives you? What if you don’t like His message? What if the message sounds hard or will cost you more than you’re prepared to offer? You see, for this pattern of following God to work, you have to follow and obey His instructions at all cost.
When God called us to full time international missions, some of the first messages He gave us rather shocked us. In fact, we had a hard time thinking God would even ask us to do such things. Sell the beautiful home we had just paid off? That sounded silly to us. Have an estate sale and sell everything you own in three days and use that money to pay for where I tell you to go? That sounded just as silly. But you see, we were at a crossroads. If you are really praying and being still and listening to God, He will speak. But what He says may surprise you. You have to be ready with your obedience. Hear God and then obey what He asks.
It makes me think of Jesus and the rich young ruler. He approached Jesus and Jesus clearly told him what it would require to follow Him and find the life that God truly had for Him. But the young man was very wealthy and couldn’t imagine a life without the comfort his wealth gave him. He left weeping, not willing to offer his obedience to God. As you hear from God, decisions will have to be made. Be prepared to offer your obedience to God, He has a plan for every aspect of your life.
3) Let God Work. Now you’ve heard from God and you’re offering God your full obedience, give Him time to work. God’s Word talks more about patience than just about any other topic. You see, God knows that we are impatient creatures and as a result we will try to do most things under our own power. That’s not how God works. You’ve got to wait, have faith, trust God and give Him time to do what He does.
Margie and I have been back off the field for two years and we were hoping to be gone again within 6 months. We have been waiting, praying, listening and obeying. In that 2 years, we have seen God move mountains, exert His glorious will upon our lives and pour out His favor and goodness upon us. We have learned so much from Him in the waiting. God is good, He is always working and He is always going before you…give Him time to work.
4) Follow in Faith. You can only imagine what was going through the minds of the Israelite families that were passing through the empty river bed of the Jordan. But you see, not only were these people terrified in the moment, they were terrified of the coming days. Why? Well, right across that river were terrible, angry people groups that wanted nothing more than to kill them in defense of their lands. Not only were the Israelites walking across uncharted territory, they were walking into uncharted territory. But they did it. And they did it on the faith that the very God that was parting that river would be the same God that would give them the victory over their enemies.
As you follow God today, make a choice to follow in faith. God gives us so many historical examples of His repeated goodness and provision in our lives, we can follow Him in faith. God’s Word tells us all we need to know about the truth, power and love that our Savior has for us, in that, we can follow Him in faith.
Today as you are on your own personal journey with God across a Jordan river in your life, rest upon the principles of following God. Be still before God and listen for His voice. As you hear, obey whatever He commands from you. Then simply, pray for patience as He carefully works out His plans in your life. And when the time is right to take that first step, take it with the great faith that your Savior will provide all that you need to flourish as you serve Him.
God bless you, if you’re reading this, your journey with Christ is being prayed for.
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