“The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away… and those flowing down… were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.” (v7,14-17 abr)
Just as God was with Moses, God was with Joshua. He proved this to the people by stopping the Jordan river from flowing while the nation crossed over. That may not sound as impressive as parting a sea, but picture this – the Jordan is a fast-flowing, high volume river that is 251km long and flows at roughly 2,500 liters per minute. Compare that to a fire hose, which is still powerful, but only delivers 30 liters per minute. The amount of water and force from the Jordan could easily sweep an army off of their feet. God stopping the river was the only possible way for Israel to cross over – swimmer and boats would have been quickly swept away.
God proves to Israel once more that He is the God of the impossible. Not only can He destroy a nation with a single breath, nature itself obeys His very command. God certainly has power far beyond that of any human. There should be no doubt in Israel’s minds that God is the one true God.
What miracle(s) do we need to see from God today in order that we may fully believe in His power? Do we have a loved one who is ill? Do we have a poor financial position? Is someone struggling with an addiction? How do we need to see God display His power in our lives so we may believe in His limitless power? Do we believe God still performs miracles today? Do we even look for miracles? When we see one do we downplay it and explain it away? Will I ever stop asking such prying questions?
Israel was a stubborn people. At the slightest sign of distress it would take mere moments for them to forget the blessings, power and miracles of God. We’re not all that different today, since we can very quickly forget the numerous mighty deeds of God when we’re in the middle of a struggle.
My challenge for today is to pause and count the blessings and miracles you have personally witnessed, including any time you noticed the power of God in a situation or circumstance. Dwell there for a few minutes. Then let’s praise God not only for what He has done, but for what He’s currently doing and will do in the future. Sure, He may not be displaying His power in the way we want Him to (according to our will), but I guarantee you God is showing His power and miracles in accordance with His sovereign will – we just need to open our hearts and minds to Him and His will.
Father God, Almighty Lord, You are truly awesome and powerful over all of creation. Father please open our hearts and minds to how You are working in this world. It’s so easy to forget Your power and authority when we see a news feed – there is so much pain and suffering in this world. Father please help us to see Your miracles and power in our day-to-day lives. May we learn to look for You, to seek You out, and to never give up hope. May we not only ask for Your powerful intervention in circumstances, but remember those times which You have displayed Your glory and might. Thank you, our Lord and King, for being our Savior and God. In the name of our Lord Jesus we say amen.
~ Conqueror in Training