Tuesday, May 2, 2023
After three days, leaders went through the camp and gave out orders to the people: When you see the Covenant-Chest of God, your God, carried by the Levitical priests, start moving. Follow it. Make sure you keep a proper distance between you and it, about half a mile—be sure now to keep your distance — and you’ll see clearly the route to take. You’ve never been on this road before. Joshua 3:2-4 MSG
Don’t Take Your Eyes Off God
I confess that my eyes are not what they used to be. Sometimes when it is raining and hard to see the road, I keep my eyes on the white lines so I know I am where I am supposed to be. The same principal applies when we are heading into new territory in our lives. The Israelites were given very explicit instructions about what they were to do as they got ready to go into the Promised Land.
Many times in life we are faced with what seem to be insurmountable obstacles. The Israelites had camped on the banks of the raging Jordan river for three days. Now it was go time. It was time to cross this raging river in front of them. This seemed like an insurmountable obstacle to them, but to God it represented a time of unprecedented commitment and faith. It was time for them to decide if they were going to completely trust God or not.
Joshua and those serving with him had shared the vision throughout the camp, and the people were ready for action. If we are going to be committed to God and trust Him fully, we have to be ready to move when the time is right. If we are going to be where God is working then we need to be ready to move. If they had been unwilling to move, they would have lived out the rest of their days on the banks of the Jordan, looking longingly at the Promised Land. How many times have you looked across the raging river at what you believed was the Promised Land? We can freeze up in fear and miss the greatest blessings because we lack the faith to go when God says go.
How can we have the faith to go when God says go? We do exactly what Joshua told the Israelites to do. When you see the Covenant-Chest of God, your God, carried by the Levitical priests, start moving. Follow it. Make sure you keep a proper distance between you and it, about half a mile—be sure now to keep your distance — and you’ll see clearly the route to take. The ark of the covenant was the visible representation of God’s presence with the people. Keeping their eyes on the Ark was the same as keeping their eyes on God. Joshua didn’t send his Army Corps of Engineers first. Instead, he sent the priests who carried the ark of the covenant, situated so that every person could see it, so that all could see God leading.
God has always led His people. He led Moses with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He led David at Baal-perazin with "the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees.” The regular place for the ark was in the midst of the people, but now they were moving, and God was up front so they could keep their eyes on Him so they would know which way to go.
When Peter stepped out of the boat to come to Jesus, he was fine as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, but the moment he looked away, he began to sink. The key to following God where He is taking us is to keep our eyes on Him. The moment we look away we will be lost. Our circumstances distract us, people distract us, and most of all, Satan distracts us. He loves to lead us astray and to get our focus off of God.
…and you’ll see clearly the route to take. You’ve never been on this road before. The only way to ever go is to keep our eyes on the Lord. Even in our day to day familiar rhythms, and especially when we are going into new territory. God will show us the way - every step of the way. If we keep our eyes on Him He will reveal the path. We don’t have to be afraid to go where we have never gone before if we keep our eyes on Him. He will protect us. He will guide us. He will lead us. He will never leave our side.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2, NIV
