—Elder Tim
Crossing the Jordan (Chapter 3)
When Israel was ready to cross the Jordan, Joshua instructed the people to follow the ark of the Lord as soon as you see it. This is a clear instruction of getting started only when they see the ark. This should be a good indication of how we should do everything we do.
When we have clear direction of what God wants us to do, especially when it is something that we know it will be difficult for us to accomplish by ourselves, He will remind us that it is He who will lead us to do it. We must not think that we can do it without Him. The way he reminded the Israel people was to lead them with the ark of the Lord. As soon as the feet of the priests bearing the ark touches the waters, the people witness the river rose up in a heap very far away (3:14-17). Israel was able to cross the Jordan on dry ground. They witness a miracle very similar to what their parents has witnessed 40 years ago coming out of Egypt, crossing the Red Sea. This miracle also established the leadership set by God to lead them to possess the land.
I remember our church has gone through very similar experiences when we saw the vision God gave to the leaders to build our church building. It took a while for the leaders to see clearly that building this church at this site was God’s will for us. There were some major differences of opinions on whether to build versus selling the land and purchase an already built structure and remodel to our needs. God finally led the leadership to see the vision of building a building in the Carmel Valley area knowing that this area does not have many churches and will be inhabited by a host of Chinese people. Once the leadership was unified with the vision, we started to see all the miracles bring the realities of this building erection. Some huge hurdles we had to cross were the funds needed to finance this endeavor and the approval of 7 hearings by 7 different governmental agencies and overcoming major oppositions from our neighbors.
We will continue to see challenges in the days ahead. We need to continue to trust in God that He will be leading us through all the obstacles thereby witness His power and guidance. It is a sure sign of His confirmation for our church to be the shining light for His gospel and light to this community.
Set up memorials (Chapter 4:1-7, 19-24)
When Israel has crossed the Jordan, God told Joshua to take 12 men & command them to take a stone each from the river and set them where they are to sleep and carry them where ever they go. It is to be a sign for them and their children to remember how they have crossed the Jordan by God drying up riverbed.
God has told Joshua a way for us to remember Him after we have settled down in comforts of what He has given us to enjoy. We need to also tell our children and future members of our church of what God has done.
This is something that we should do in each of our homes. This is something that our church has not done well. We really do not have a good excuse for not doing it. Someone just needs to focus on it.