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I spent Monday evening by the river, Arkansas not Ouachita. Even though I was in the middle of the city with traffic everywhere, I felt such peace. I always feel peaceful at a river. I realized I love rivers more than lakes or oceans. Rivers are more contained than an ocean. I can look from one bank to another. I can see the boundaries of the river. That is comforting to me. However, rivers are not as confined as lakes. Rivers flow, rather than being enclosed by dams or mountains. Whether in a canoe or on a yacht, travel is possible on a river. I feel neither stuck nor overwhelmed. I have a choice to sit and watch it flow by or use it as a means of adventure.
However, I realized last night that rivers touch me in a deeper, more spiritual way. One of my favorite passages in Joshua 3:1-4:
1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over. 2 So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; 3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. 4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.” (KJV)
This passage has been such a comfort to me at different times in my life. When I felt God moving in my life, all I had to do was keep a reverential distance but stay close enough to see His leading because I may not have traveled this way before, but He has. He knows what I have been through, and He knows what lies ahead.
And where exactly were the children of Israel in that passage in Joshua? They were about to cross the Jordan River into the land God had promised them. They literally were at the point of claiming God's promise; all they had to do was follow. That is easier said than done. Even with God's promise within reach, acting can be quite anxiety provoking. After all, it's change, and change is stressful. They were about to cross the Jordan River and enter the promised land and God was leading the way not just as a guide but as an advanced guard. Joshua 3: 7-13:
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.”
As with the Israelites, God knows what is awaiting me. And, just as the Israelites, I have my battles to fight, some within myself, some with others, but God leads the way. God knows the battlefield and enemy better than I, even when that enemy is myself. When He leads the way, I can choose to pass through the river, or I can choose to stay behind in my old way and not claim tha promise He has waiting for me. When I choose to pass through the river, sometimes I pass through on dry land, with no problems, because God is standing in the way, holding back all that will flood me, just as He did for the Israelites. During those times, I may never know from what all I am being protected because He is shielding me. "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" (Joshua 3:15). I have no idea what all troubles stand in a heap because He stood in the way.
However, sometimes I pass through the river and get wet, all wet, the head to toe soaked to the bone kind of wet that leaves no doubt to myself or anyone who sees me that I'm completely saturated. Sometimes, this passing through the river is voluntary; sometimes it is not. Voluntary or not, it is necessary.
Naaman was a powerful leader of the powerful army of Aram. He was well respected by his leaders and by the people whom he led. But no matter how powerful and respected he was, he had leprosy (2 Kings 5: 1). A young girl from Israel had been taken captive and served Naaman's wife. She said she wished her master could go see the prophet in Israel because she knew he could cure Naaman of his leprosy. The king of Aram sent word to the king of Israel that Naaman would be arriving. The king of Israel was very upset, thinking that he was being set up because he knew he could not cure leprosy. Elisha, however, instructed the king to send Naaman to him.
When Naaman arrived, Elisah sent word via a messenger to “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed" (2 Kings 5: 10). This did not set too well with Naaman. First, Naaman was a bit put out that Elisha did not speak with him directly. After all, he was an important man. How dare Elisha simply send a messenger! Second, Naaman was looking for something a bit more flashy. "But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy" (2 Kings 5: 11). He was expecting God to work in an obviously spectacular way. Third, the Jordan isn't exactly the cleanest of rivers. Naaman said, " 'Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?' So he turned and went off in a rage" (2 Kings 5: 12).
For Naaman, his pride almost cost him his healing from leprosy. "Naaman’s servants went to him and said, 'My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed!' So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy" (2 Kings 5: 13-14). However, Naaman not only received healing from his leprosy, he received faith in Jehova God. "Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, 'Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel'" (2 Kings 5:15).
How many times have I been like Naaman! I come to God with a dire need and I expect God to work or lead in a certain way, and when He doesn't, I doubt and get angry. I don't like what may be required of me for my need to be met. I want it done the way I want it and when I want it. Basically, pride gets in my way and I risk missing the amazing blessing God has in store for me, and I risk missing the affirmation that God is God, the great "I AM," and the relief of knowing that "I am NOT." My pride and stubborness keeps me from seeing the awesomeness of God. However, when I yield to what I did not want or expect, sometimes after gentle edification from friends, I am at peace. It may take a while, but I eventually get there.
Then there are times in my life when I voluntarily enter the river as a testimony to Whose I am. My first entry into the river was baptism, my first public act of service and declaration of my faith in Christ. Since then, other times I've voluntarily stepped into the river have been leaps of faith, even when that leap was to be still and know that He is God.
Finally, I think it is beyond coincidence that the Jordan River plays such a significant role. Ragardless of whether it was the place of healing as with Naaman or the place of promise as with the Israelites, the Jordan is important. It's not just any old river; it is the river in which Christ was baptized. Both healing and promise were found in the river because it is a symbol of the source of true healing and promise, Christ.
From now on, my river experiences never will be the same. Whether watching peacfully from the bank, taking a refreshing swim, floating lazily in a canoe, or turning over in a canoe (which does happen with regularity), this metaphor will be with me as a reminder that this life is but a mere reflection of the deeper, more meaningful spiritual life. After an encounter with Christ, I am never the same...
However, I realized last night that rivers touch me in a deeper, more spiritual way. One of my favorite passages in Joshua 3:1-4:
1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over. 2 So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; 3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. 4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.” (KJV)
This passage has been such a comfort to me at different times in my life. When I felt God moving in my life, all I had to do was keep a reverential distance but stay close enough to see His leading because I may not have traveled this way before, but He has. He knows what I have been through, and He knows what lies ahead.
And where exactly were the children of Israel in that passage in Joshua? They were about to cross the Jordan River into the land God had promised them. They literally were at the point of claiming God's promise; all they had to do was follow. That is easier said than done. Even with God's promise within reach, acting can be quite anxiety provoking. After all, it's change, and change is stressful. They were about to cross the Jordan River and enter the promised land and God was leading the way not just as a guide but as an advanced guard. Joshua 3: 7-13:
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.”
As with the Israelites, God knows what is awaiting me. And, just as the Israelites, I have my battles to fight, some within myself, some with others, but God leads the way. God knows the battlefield and enemy better than I, even when that enemy is myself. When He leads the way, I can choose to pass through the river, or I can choose to stay behind in my old way and not claim tha promise He has waiting for me. When I choose to pass through the river, sometimes I pass through on dry land, with no problems, because God is standing in the way, holding back all that will flood me, just as He did for the Israelites. During those times, I may never know from what all I am being protected because He is shielding me. "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" (Joshua 3:15). I have no idea what all troubles stand in a heap because He stood in the way.
However, sometimes I pass through the river and get wet, all wet, the head to toe soaked to the bone kind of wet that leaves no doubt to myself or anyone who sees me that I'm completely saturated. Sometimes, this passing through the river is voluntary; sometimes it is not. Voluntary or not, it is necessary.
Naaman was a powerful leader of the powerful army of Aram. He was well respected by his leaders and by the people whom he led. But no matter how powerful and respected he was, he had leprosy (2 Kings 5: 1). A young girl from Israel had been taken captive and served Naaman's wife. She said she wished her master could go see the prophet in Israel because she knew he could cure Naaman of his leprosy. The king of Aram sent word to the king of Israel that Naaman would be arriving. The king of Israel was very upset, thinking that he was being set up because he knew he could not cure leprosy. Elisha, however, instructed the king to send Naaman to him.
When Naaman arrived, Elisah sent word via a messenger to “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed" (2 Kings 5: 10). This did not set too well with Naaman. First, Naaman was a bit put out that Elisha did not speak with him directly. After all, he was an important man. How dare Elisha simply send a messenger! Second, Naaman was looking for something a bit more flashy. "But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy" (2 Kings 5: 11). He was expecting God to work in an obviously spectacular way. Third, the Jordan isn't exactly the cleanest of rivers. Naaman said, " 'Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?' So he turned and went off in a rage" (2 Kings 5: 12).
For Naaman, his pride almost cost him his healing from leprosy. "Naaman’s servants went to him and said, 'My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed!' So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy" (2 Kings 5: 13-14). However, Naaman not only received healing from his leprosy, he received faith in Jehova God. "Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, 'Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel'" (2 Kings 5:15).
How many times have I been like Naaman! I come to God with a dire need and I expect God to work or lead in a certain way, and when He doesn't, I doubt and get angry. I don't like what may be required of me for my need to be met. I want it done the way I want it and when I want it. Basically, pride gets in my way and I risk missing the amazing blessing God has in store for me, and I risk missing the affirmation that God is God, the great "I AM," and the relief of knowing that "I am NOT." My pride and stubborness keeps me from seeing the awesomeness of God. However, when I yield to what I did not want or expect, sometimes after gentle edification from friends, I am at peace. It may take a while, but I eventually get there.
Then there are times in my life when I voluntarily enter the river as a testimony to Whose I am. My first entry into the river was baptism, my first public act of service and declaration of my faith in Christ. Since then, other times I've voluntarily stepped into the river have been leaps of faith, even when that leap was to be still and know that He is God.
Finally, I think it is beyond coincidence that the Jordan River plays such a significant role. Ragardless of whether it was the place of healing as with Naaman or the place of promise as with the Israelites, the Jordan is important. It's not just any old river; it is the river in which Christ was baptized. Both healing and promise were found in the river because it is a symbol of the source of true healing and promise, Christ.
From now on, my river experiences never will be the same. Whether watching peacfully from the bank, taking a refreshing swim, floating lazily in a canoe, or turning over in a canoe (which does happen with regularity), this metaphor will be with me as a reminder that this life is but a mere reflection of the deeper, more meaningful spiritual life. After an encounter with Christ, I am never the same...
Wow. Oh that was so good. Read Isaiah 43:1-13. Verse 2 really applies, but what the rest of the verses say about who God is, it is just really good. Did I say this post was really good? Wow.
ReplyDeletevery nicely said Julie
ReplyDelete