Saturday, August 5, 2006
Joshua 3:3-4 "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before."
GOD GOES FIRST
Our three year old daughter loves to go on nature trails at the parks in our area. The problem is, she'll get excited and charge on ahead so far that we lose sight of her. Then when she gets to a fork in the path, she doesn't know which way to go. Her enthusiasm for the walk is good, but it's really better if Mom and Dad go first.
After many years of wandering the wilderness, the nation of Israel made it to the east side of the Jordan River. Only this river was between them and the land which God had promised would become their own. For three days they camped there, during which time there were probably those who wanted to "charge ahead" and figure out their own way across the river.
But it was important that God went first. He knew the way into the unfamiliar land, and He would be the one who would lead them. When the ark of the covenant, the symbol of God's presence, moved out toward the river, the people were supposed to follow it. Not run on ahead. Follow it. This way they would know where to go since they had not been this way before.
So often we want to charge on ahead of God. We like to determine our own way to go rather than let His word show us the way. This is a recipe for disaster.
God's guidance is infallible. He will not lead us astray, rather He Himself will lead us in the way everlasting. He shows us the joy and peace of sins forgiven through Christ. He spreads out the banquet table of His love and providence before our eyes and then says, "Follow me! I know where we're going!" And He goes first -- even into the greatest Promised Land.
