A Path Among the Rocks

But I, the Lord, took your ancestor Abraham from the other side of the river and led him through the land of Canaan. Joshua 24:3 (NCV)

The farm I grew up on was about eight or nine miles outside of the nearest town.  In order to reach a town in any direction from our house you had to cross over a creek.  These creeks varied in size depending on which route you took, but no matter the route, crossing over these bodies of water was a requirement to get anywhere.  If we received a lot of rain, the creeks would rise to varying flood stages and we were stranded until the water receded enough that it was safe to cross over.  I can remember many times that we would go in a particular direction to see if we could get across while the water was running high.  We would drive right up to the edge of the water and assess the situation – was the current too strong, too deep?  Could we make it?  Many times, we would turn around and go back because we couldn’t chance the crossing. 

As I was reading my Bible, I ran across the verse above where Joshua was giving a history lesson to the children of Israel.  Joshua was very old and was preparing to die and he was giving some life advice before he died.  He reminded the people of how far the Lord had brought them, and he started with their first ancestor, Abraham.  I’ve read the stories of Abraham many times, but this particular verse stood out to me about God bringing Abraham from the other side of the river on his own faith journey and into what would become the promised land for Israel. 

The history of the deliverance of the Israelites involved crossing over several bodies of water on their journey toward this promised land.  The Red Sea being the first where God parted the water and the people walked across on dry land (Exodus 14:21-22).  Another significant crossing involved the people crossing the Jordan River during flood stage (Joshua 3:15-16).  Again, they walked across on dry land because the Lord held the water back upstream.  Crossing what seemed to be impossible bodies of water became possible through the power of God.

I think there’s an encouraging lesson to be found in these stories of God enabling the people to cross over something that seemed impossible in order to bring them to a better place.  If we look at this from a spiritual perspective and apply it to our own lives through that lens, what’s on the other side of the river in front of us is that abundant life of freedom and peace that God has for believers who worship Him in spirit and in truth. 

So, what river are you standing at today?  A river of rebellion?  Addiction?  Exhaustion?  Depression/Anxiety?  Or perhaps you are standing at the “River of Rules” where religious rules made by man and not God are weighing you down to the point of breaking.  There are so many things that come against believers in Christ today, not the least of which is our own self-condemnation and despair because we believe the lie that we are not good enough to cross over to the other side of that river of doubt. 

I fully believe that the biggest lie of the enemy today against believers in Christ is the lie of “not good enough.”  Like that big muddy Mississippi River, our River of Not Good Enough is raging.  Even though you believe in your heart that Jesus is the Son of God and came to the Earth to pay the price of the sin of humanity that we might all believe in His sacrifice and accept Him as Savior – we hear the whispers of defeat in the midst of those roaring flood waters.  Man, it’s tough.  I have lived so many years as a believer in Christ standing at that River of Not Good Enough that I can still feel the water on my feet and paint the landscape in my sleep.  It’s disheartening.

I think we all have a raging river at flood stage in our lives of one kind or another.  Instead of crossing over, believers tend to have made camp in their own spiritual wilderness just at the edge. Perhaps you can see glimpses of that land of freedom and peace, but there’s too much of an impossible obstacle standing in your way.  I wrote about my own personal experience in a spiritual wilderness in “A Way in the Wilderness.” 

I lost years of my life in that place, and my shoes are still wet from crossing over to the other side of that river that I stood at for many years.  I’m still recovering, but I’m here to share with you today and every day that comes, that Jesus does make a way for us to cross over to the other side of those obstacles that are blocking our way.  Just as He made a way for the Israelites, He makes the way for us.

As Joshua was preparing the people to cross over the flooding Jordan River that day, he told the people to prepare themselves, that they would see God do amazing things among them (Joshua 3:5).  I would encourage you to ask the Lord to show you what you need to do to prepare yourselves to cross over.  Jesus is waiting at the shore for you to come and surrender your trust to Him.  Believing that He parts the water so you don’t have to and trusting Him to get you across to the other side.  It only takes one step of faith, and it doesn’t’ have to be strong, solid step.  It doesn’t even have to be a step.  If all you have in you is to spiritually drag yourself to the feet of Jesus.  He will do the rest. 

I am praying for you and cheering you on, and I promise it’s worth the surrender.  I’ll be over here waiting on the other side of the river for you, and we’ll dry our shoes together in the sunshine. 

Proactive:  Joshua 3:5 – Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

Defensive: Jude 24 – To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—

Promise:  Isaiah 26:7-8 – The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth. Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.