Thursday August 13, 2020

Today’s Reading: Joshua 3:7-17

And the water flowing downstream stood still, rising up [in] a mass that extended as far as Adam, a city next to Zarethan. The water flowing downstream into the Sea of the Arabah (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off, and the people crossed opposite Jericho.

Joshua 3:16

Meditation: God calls His people to exercise faith in Him. In order to enter the Promised Land, God directs Joshua to lead the Israelites through the Jordan River. During this time, the already tumultuous river is overflowing, making it even more difficult and dangerous for thousands of people to cross with their possessions and livestock. But when Israel’s priests step into the water, the river subsides and dries up, allowing the people to cross a completely dry riverbed. Just as God brings His people out of bondage with a miracle at the Red Sea, He also brings them into the Promised Land through another miraculous crossing.

But in this miracle, God first requires from the people an act of faith and trust in Him. It is not until the priests first step into the overflowing river that they see God work. The people experience this miracle as a result of exercising their faith in the Great Miracle Worker. Whenever God invites us to put our faith in Him, He meets us with the assurance that He is faithful and blesses us with a testimony to proclaim to others. Israel’s faith placed in God is what causes them to step into an otherwise dangerous obstacle, a way that would have surely lead to death if it were not by God’s leading. But because the True and Living God has lead them this way, He also paves the Way of life for them. He requires only that Israel trust in His leading. The same is true for us: there is no way of life but by His leading. A life lived in faith in the Eternal God leads us to places only He can take us. Our trust placed in God brings us to blessings we can only experience with Him.

Prayer: Loving God, You work miracles. You are faithful to bless and gracious to allow me to draw near to You. Thank You for the countless ways You prove Your faithfulness. Help me to heed Your call always, and to step into the situations You set before me with complete faith in You. You are worthy of all of my trust LORD. In Jesus’ Precious Name I pray, AMEN.

Thru the Bible in a year (credit: Biblestudytools.com):Acts 9:1-25; Joshua 3:1-5:1; Job 22