River Crossing
Scripture Reference: Joshua 3
When It came time for the children of Israel to leave the wilderness and enter the land God had promised to their fathers, they had to cross the Jordan river. To make things worse, they had to cross the river during its flood season. The Jordan was well out of its banks; it was a wide, ragging river. For an ordinary man relying only on his own strength it would have been impossible to cross. But as Jesus tells us in Matthew 19:26b, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." (KJV) And in this case God made the crossing of the Jordan possible by his mighty power; poured out upon his children as a sign of his grace and for his glory.
When it comes to us moving out of our comfort zone into the mission field God has planned for us, sometimes there are personal, psychological and spiritual rivers we must cross. And they can seem wide and deep; greater than we can traverse by our own strength of will. You may face a river called friends, marriage, family, job, ambition, sports, pride, greed, lust, doubt, fear, prejudice, or addiction. Any one of these elements of an ordinary life can be a wide barrier between us and God's plan for our life, inpossible for us to cross by our own power. But God can make it possible for you to cross your river. It may be a plan that seems odd to you; it may be a plan you do not really care for at first thought. But if we rely on His wisdom, and follow His Holy Spirit, he will make a way. He will send the Comforter to guide us and give us the strength we need to carry out God's plan.
There are a few things to keep in mind when facing your river. First, be honest with yourself about the river. Identify it; own it; name it. Do not try to cross the river in the dark. Truth is light. You can only cross the river in bright light.
Trust in God. He knows what you need and what you are capable of. Receive to the plan he gives you with faith and the confidence that it will work and you will be able to accomplish it.
Be submissive to God. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you; follow his instructions. If you give yourself completely to God through Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit will be in you and empower you to fulfill God's plan.
Once the plan has been accomplished, give God the glory. Broadcast praise and thanks to Him for the great and wonderful thing He has accomplished through you. Remember that it is His plan, His mission, His grace, and is for His glory.
The last thing to remember is that going on any adventure, especially one that requires crossing a wide, ragging river, is always easier and more enjoyable when done with a friend or in a group. It may be difficult to share your particular river with someone else, but having a spiritual partner who can pray for you give God another channel through which to pour out His grace and power to you. Remember what Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (KJV)
So, go forth into the mission field God's has planned for you. Be bold. Be brave. And may the power of God and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.
When It came time for the children of Israel to leave the wilderness and enter the land God had promised to their fathers, they had to cross the Jordan river. To make things worse, they had to cross the river during its flood season. The Jordan was well out of its banks; it was a wide, ragging river. For an ordinary man relying only on his own strength it would have been impossible to cross. But as Jesus tells us in Matthew 19:26b, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." (KJV) And in this case God made the crossing of the Jordan possible by his mighty power; poured out upon his children as a sign of his grace and for his glory.
When it comes to us moving out of our comfort zone into the mission field God has planned for us, sometimes there are personal, psychological and spiritual rivers we must cross. And they can seem wide and deep; greater than we can traverse by our own strength of will. You may face a river called friends, marriage, family, job, ambition, sports, pride, greed, lust, doubt, fear, prejudice, or addiction. Any one of these elements of an ordinary life can be a wide barrier between us and God's plan for our life, inpossible for us to cross by our own power. But God can make it possible for you to cross your river. It may be a plan that seems odd to you; it may be a plan you do not really care for at first thought. But if we rely on His wisdom, and follow His Holy Spirit, he will make a way. He will send the Comforter to guide us and give us the strength we need to carry out God's plan.
There are a few things to keep in mind when facing your river. First, be honest with yourself about the river. Identify it; own it; name it. Do not try to cross the river in the dark. Truth is light. You can only cross the river in bright light.
Trust in God. He knows what you need and what you are capable of. Receive to the plan he gives you with faith and the confidence that it will work and you will be able to accomplish it.
Be submissive to God. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you; follow his instructions. If you give yourself completely to God through Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit will be in you and empower you to fulfill God's plan.
Once the plan has been accomplished, give God the glory. Broadcast praise and thanks to Him for the great and wonderful thing He has accomplished through you. Remember that it is His plan, His mission, His grace, and is for His glory.
The last thing to remember is that going on any adventure, especially one that requires crossing a wide, ragging river, is always easier and more enjoyable when done with a friend or in a group. It may be difficult to share your particular river with someone else, but having a spiritual partner who can pray for you give God another channel through which to pour out His grace and power to you. Remember what Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (KJV)
So, go forth into the mission field God's has planned for you. Be bold. Be brave. And may the power of God and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.
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