Go and stand in the river-A leap of faith
“7 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. 8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”
9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”
14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.”
Today's message focuses on the event of Joshua and the Israelites crossing the Jordan River, explaining God's work and the transition of leadership. Joshua, as Moses' successor, led the Israelites across the Jordan River. This event was not merely about crossing a river but also about God establishing Joshua as the new leader and confirming his authority to the people of Israel. It demonstrated that the same God who parted the Red Sea now stopped the flow of the Jordan River, affirming that He was with Joshua.
The Bible connects the event of crossing the Jordan with the Red Sea, showing how God continues to lead His people through a new era and a new leader. Both the Red Sea and the Jordan River crossings were miracles of God, symbolizing pivotal moments that required the Israelites to take a leap of faith and make a new beginning.
In our lives today, just as the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, we face moments where we must take leaps of faith. In times when God calls us to make new commitments and face challenges of faith, we must trust in Him and move forward. Our church also has the responsibility to raise up the next generation of leaders and help them make their leap of faith.
A leap of faith is not just a one-time decision but an ongoing process of spiritual growth. Even in times of crisis, we must trust in God, gain assurance that He is with us through our faith journeys, and grow together with our church community. Through this message, I pray that when God calls each of us to take a leap of faith in our lives, we will respond and walk faithfully on that journey.
Prayer: Lord, we recognize that You call us to take steps of faith and make decisive commitments. Help us to clarify the mission and purpose You have given us, and lead us to make our lives a reflection of Your love and truth in the world. Raise up new leaders in the church, and guide the younger generation to hear Your voice and dedicate themselves to Your calling. Amen.
(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)
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