We are here for You

"And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord

stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed

on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan."

(Joshua 3:17)

I have mixed emotions as I write today.  I have missed blog world.  Desperately.  But in all reality, I needed a little break.  Not until I was well into it did I realize that, however.  This is a brand new season of life for me in many aspects, and as a dear friend put it to me last night: "Enjoy the season the Lord has you in.  It will pass quickly."  I want to be better with savoring the season I'm in - I think I used to be better at this.  Realizing this has caused me to prioritize my life a little.  [It's no secret that this is not my forte'.]  So in all honesty my lack of blogging - It's just been a time factor.  It's not been laziness or complacency or even lack of things to say.  Life has been busy, as I know it too has been for you.  I know you haven't missed me half as much as I have missed you, but I still feel the need to explain myself.

I have been reading in Joshua for the past few days.  We know the background - Moses has died at this point and the Lord has appointed Joshua to be the one who leads the Israelites to their Promised Land.  In verses 7-8 of chapter 3, the Lord comes to Joshua to deliver an important message:

"Now the LORD said to Joshua, 'This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you.

'You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the ark of the convenant, saying, 'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan" (NASB).  

And this is how this chapter ends:

"And when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), that the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off.  So the people crossed opposite Jericho.  

And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan" (Joshua 3:15-17).

Ok, bear with me here.  I'm going somewhere, I promise.  Take a look at the footnotes provided in my Bible in reference to this passage:

The Lord did not act until their feet stepped down to the water! He was severely testing the faith of the priests here.  The phrase "Jordan overflows all its banks" should rather be translated "is full up to all his banks," i.e. brimful.  These verses illustrate how suddenly and how completely the Lord showed His power in Israel's behalf to bring them into the promised land.  The Jordan flows at the bottom of a deep valley.  Descent is made to the water on both sides by two, and occassionally three, terraces.  Ordinarily the water flows only in the lower part of this course and is usually less than 100 feet wide.  The bank is overgrown with a veritable jungle of tamarisks and willows.  In the spring the rising waters reach well up into the trees and undergrowth.  Occassionally the rising water fills the ravine to the brim.  Such was the case when Joshua brought the people to the crossing.  Under these conditions the river cannot be forded at all and crossing can be made only by swimming.  At best this is a hazardous task.  Though it was no doubt the means used by the two spies, it was completely out of the question for the large multitude that followed Joshua.  Though it was no doubt the means used by the two spies, it was completely out o the question for the large multitude that followed Joshua.  The fact that this great number of people passed over the Jordan at that season was a clear demonstration that God's power was continuing to work for them.  There were absolutely no human means available to produce such an effect.  Just as God had sent a strong east wind to clear a wide path in the Red Sea for Israel (Ex. 14:21,22), so He could cause a great upheaval or a tremendous landslide to dam the waters of the Jordan.  He can use physical things to accomplish His divine purpose. (Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB, 294).

Read some of the other Scriptures that are in reference to this particular passage:

"He turned the sea into dry land; They passed through the river on foot; There let us rejoice in Him!" (Psalm 66:6)

"It was You who opened up springs and streams; You dried up the ever-flowing rivers." (Psalm 74:15)

"The sea looked back and fled; the Jodan turned back." (Psalm 114:3)

"What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back." (Psalm 114:5)

Chris Tomlin's theme song for the Passion 2011 album "We are here for You" hit home for me this morning at church.  Our Pastor announced that we will be singing this song each Sunday throughout the month of April and I felt my heart bounce with excitement (My baby too. I think he likes this one.)!  Let me tell you why I love it so much.  Because if I could point out one common theme that the Lord has taught me in the past few months it is that I am here for Him.  Our Pastor posed the following question time and again throughout the previous message series: "Do you exist for God or does God exist for you?"  That question has changed my perspective in so many ways.  Ok, so back to the song.  [Man, I'm scatter-brained today.]  Just take a glimpse at some of these lyrics:

Let our praise be Your welcome

Let our songs be a sign

We are here for You, we are here for You

Let Your breath come from heaven

Fill our hearts with Your life

We are here for You, we are here for You

Let our shout be Your anthem

Your renown fill the skies

We are here for You, we are here for You

Let your Word move in power

Let what's dead come to life

We are here for You, we are here for You

In Joshua chapter 3, the Israelites had a tough challenge set before them.  More dangerous than crossing the Jordan, they had to step outside their comfort zone and believe their God.  They had to believe their God that He was going to use immeasurable circumstances to accomplish His divine plan, didn't they?  I know it probably seems like I'm all over the place with this, but that's ok.  Here's my question - and this is geared at both you and myself: What is God asking us to do that we see as a major challenge?  What is God asking us to believe Him for? 

For me, I tend to get so wrapped up in my own insecurities and fear of failure that I am paralyzed to take another step.  But look at the faith of the priests in Joshua 3.  Joshua was instructed by the Lord and commanded to speak a challenge of faith to the priests.  The priests chose to believe their God and carried out obedience.  Then, God accomplished His divine plan. 

God's divine plan for our individual lives is that we know Him, love Him, and serve and worship Him with our every breath.  But in the midst of that everyday service unto the Lord, He presents opportunities before us that are only fit for us.  And what's important is that we remember that we are here for HIM!  Out of obedience, let's say "Yes!" to the challenges.  Let's say "Yes!" to believing our God.  Because this is not about us.  It's about Him.  And when we can get to that mindset - when we can get to that place in our belief-life - It will be easier to say "Yes!" because we'll be doing it out of obedience. 

Does any of this make sense?

Melissa Moore Fitzpatrick used the following quote in a post on Living Proof's blog the other day and it has stuck with me.  A friend of mine actually had it posted on her facebook wall, as well:

“You must once and for all give up being worried about successes and failures. Don’t let that concern you. It’s your duty to go on working steadily day by day, quite quietly, to be prepared for mistakes, which are inevitable, and for failures” (Madeleine L’ Engle, Herself, 72).

What if the priests were too worried about failure?  Then God is God and still would have accomplished His plan some other way, I reckon, BUT ... Their lives would have been utterly sad and you know why?  Because they would have missed out on an opportunity to believe their God.  Because they would have missed out on an opportunity to see their God work on their behalf.  Because they would have missed out on an opportunity to see the divine plan of their God fulfilled. 

 

I don't want to miss out. 

 

Do you?

 

We are here for You, we are here for You.