Spiritually Unequal Marriage

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Part the Jordan River

Hey SUMers!  Did you enjoy the read through Joshua 3:1-7? I wonder about something. When you read the OT passages do you kinda view the people of the stories as…

Hey SUMers! 

image from www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.comDid you enjoy the read through
Joshua 3:1-7?

I wonder about something. When you
read the OT passages do you kinda view the people of the stories as characters.
Like a character in a fiction book? Well, Joshua is a real man. He lived on
this planet and I can’t wait to meet him one day. I’m going to ask him a bazillion
questions about living to be an old man, yet still having the health and
vitality of a youth. What was it like to see the pillar of fire at night and
the cloud during the day. Were you as astonished as me because your traveled in
the wilderness for 40 years and yet your clothing and shoes never wore out?

                I’m
sure I will pepper him with so many questions that he will have to spend a
least a 100 years with me alone to satisfy my curiosity. Ahhhh, to dream about
our ever-lasting future…. It’s one of my favorite pastimes.

                My
friends, there is so much we can learn from Joshua but what I want to take a
look at what begins to play out starting in verse 7. Now remember with me that
the Israelites have been wondering. They have witnessed God move for them with
supernatural miracles. God has now released them to finally to take ownership
of the Promised Land. We could do an entire study on these concepts alone. But
what I want us to recognize is a couple of things.

                Verse
8: God commands Joshua: 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.’

                Now catch something here. There
is a shift in God’s expectations of His people. For years the people have
watched God provide for them supernaturally with Manna, water from a rock,
escape the Egyptians through the Red Sea. But today, this day, something is
different.

                Read with me: 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. 

Okay, I can’t even begin to explain why the river is at flood
stage during harvest season but it is roaring. It is wide and virtually
uncrossable for the 1.5 million people of Israel. But, let’s not get stuck on
that phenomenon. Let’s get stuck on the next one.

God instructs the people to MAKE THE FIRST MOVE. He commands
the priests to step into the river FIRST. He instructs them to carry the Ark of
the Covenant and to step into the raging waters. They must TRUST that God will
do what He promised and cut the flow off.

They had to choose that very moment to activate their faith.
For years they have watched God take care of them but today, they will take His
Presence with them and step into the water. This is when their faith is
activated and faith becomes trust.

God wants them to grow up. To become a people of trust to be
participants in the miracles and not just the benefactors of His goodness and
grace. I’m also intrigued that in just a couple of chapters the people ate
grain from the land and I quote Joshua 5:12, “The manna stopped the day after
they ate this food from the land.”

So I can bet you know where I’m going with this train of
thought.

Do you believe this kind of trust is what God wants from us? Thoughts? Love you, Lynn

Comments

12 responses

  1. Teresa T Avatar
    Teresa T

    In the last generation, God went before them to part the waters. But their faith was too weak to go into the promised land. In this generation, God is going WITH them as they take a step. He has us exercise spiritual muscles to make us strong.
    And now we are to step with faith into LIVING waters. In fact they will spring from within us. I love how scripture ties together.
    John 4:14
    But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again – ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life.”

    Reply
  2. Joanne Avatar
    Joanne

    OK! HERE WE GO SUMITES! Walking in faith and trust. God has led us and supplied us with all that we needed to get to such a time as this in our lives. Now it’s our turn to step out in TRUST! He will not disappoint us because we are His children. Our Father wants only the best for us so let’s go grab it! THANK YOU JESUS! I can’t say that enough for all You have done for us!!!! <>< Love you Lynn! ((HUG))

    Reply
  3. denise Avatar
    denise

    Amen, let’s go grab it.

    Reply
  4. Marvie Avatar
    Marvie

    Yes! The Lord walks ahead to part the Jordans in our life. Praise my God Jehovah my deliverer!!!

    Reply
  5. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Yes, yes and yes! Thank you Lynn for this devotion. I do believe God is calling us to this type of faith and trust in Him! I also, believe our Sumites Community is a very unquie group. We hold onto the promises of God, need, grave, and seek his face, power, and annointing in our lives because we have so much at stake when it comes to our family and eternity.
    I know beyond a showdow of a doubt.Me being in this situation has given me a compassion, understand, love, and a sensitivity not only for my husband and people, but also to other points of view which in turn has helped me with my love walk because I NEVER want to put God/ Jesus reputation on the line. I am also convinced that in order to see this miraculous power and intervention in our lives like you see in the OT( I just love the OT and the raw and personal relationship they had with God) we need to be a lot of for Jesus( not in a weird can’t relate kinda of way toward people or their situations) but just radically love people and do not hold onto offense. Let God be your defender! You must trust God and be obediant to his calling. Thank you Lord for all you do in our lives and how we seek your face and ask for your wisdom and show us how you want us to love your people! Love to you all have a great day

    Reply
  6. Jody J Avatar
    Jody J

    Oh my, Lynn! This message produced in me a huge smile, tears and goosebumps! I KNOW this is what will happen next week when I enter that courtroom prepared for whatever transpires, knowing that God is in control. And I KNOW my trek to life in Colorado will bring me to a new level of maturity in Christ…preparing me for the work that He alone has for me!
    This community of SUMites has fostered hope, joy, camaraderie, compassion and understanding in me, and I’m now able to spread it among those outside this community! I praise Our Father for the truth He shares through you, Lynn & Dineen, and all the SUMites. Praise and glory be to God!

    Reply
  7. Lynette D Avatar
    Lynette D

    This is amazing. I had many times in life where I was just sitting and waiting for things to fall in my lap. But I had to move first! It honestly makes me sad because I see so many people living a mediocre life because they sit and think ‘oh well, it must be God’s will.’ Maybe sometimes it is…but most of the time I believe we need to make the first move.

    Reply
  8. Heidi Avatar
    Heidi

    You are so right Pat I think the most profound thing we can do as Christians is to love and love BIG that is when God is shining most brightly. Not sit in judgement or hold on to an attitude that can create distance and resentment, it is something that the enemy tries to sneak in, to divide couples. I know this first hand and find myself giving the ol boot to the devil from time to time.

    Reply
  9. Cindy Avatar
    Cindy

    I know the Lord has spoken to me and ask me a couple weeks ago why I doubt him. The question had me in thought because I thought I was walking in faith. but sometimes when we don’t see what we expect in our lives. to see order in every area of our life, we question why things are not the way it’s supposed to be. That is where we fall into doubt. I know our Good wants to do something in our lives. but sometimes he does wait for us to act. The Lord has called me in a specific area of ministry, and Im not sure how to get there but I trust He will speak when it is time for me to move. I am also seeking Him for restoration in my marraige, finances, and I know all things has its timing, but trust that my God will come through.

    Reply
  10. Jen Avatar
    Jen

    I love this community & Praise the Lord for all the things he has laid before us. Sometimes it is so hard to just take that first step, yet time and time again, Good comes of it, when you look back, you can totally see God at work.

    Reply
  11. Mary Robles Avatar
    Mary Robles

    Yes!yes! I agree that God is asking us to walk in this faith. At least this is where He is leading me in this season of my life, my marriage, and my husbands salvation. He has shown me how He will always provide but now needs me to take the first step. It’s scary, the unknown always is but this is where our faith needs to come in. We can’t forget that we serve a mighty God. It’s exciting to see God at work.

    Reply
  12. Markeitha Avatar
    Markeitha

    I am a hands on parent. ( I am sure many of you are) I am what you call the helicopter mommy :-0 I have six babies 11 and under and I spend my day hovering over them. When reading this devotion today it reminded me of something I do with my kids. I don’t know why but at a certain age maybe around two years old. I place them on a counter. Maybe kitchen counter and tell them to jump into my arms. I think it started off as a fun thing but I later continued it with each child. Anyway I noticed that some of my babies would just blindly JUMP! They knew their mommy would catch them….two of them were too afraid. The ones that were too afraid are my two children with the strongest wills. The ones who try and buck up against the grain every now and then. I think this is also true in our walk with God. When we have fully surrendered we wont need to assess the situation and see if it is safe for us or whether we think we would be able to catch ourselves if we fall. I’m praying I get that blind faith that the two of my babies had. The ones who just jumped into mommy’s arms. 🙂

    Reply

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