CROSSING JORDAN

By: Rev. Arnel Tan

“Meanwhile , the priests who were carrying the Ark of the LORD’S Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.” Joshua 3:17 NLT

When we read the account of Israel crossing the Jordan let us resist the temptation to personalize it too much. Remember there’s context and a macro view of this passage. I suggest we get the big picture so we can find our proper place in the story. What’s the big picture? The big picture is the PEOPLE OF GOD obeying God and the POWER OF GOD is seen to fulfill the PURPOSE OF GOD.

Before you and I make Jordan as our personal river and crossing it our personal goal, let us not forget that a NATION crossed it no personalities. I think the first temptation that Israel should resist and the first lesson Israel should learn is that crossing Jordan is crossing individualism and from there discover that they are becoming a PEOPLE that obeys God. Their distinction as a nation is not their courage and ability to cross that dark and deep river, it’s the POWER OF GOD displayed as they cross.

The farther we are from our selfish conclave the clearer we see the purpose of God and closer we are to Him. Detached from our own little jordans we se the big picture of God’s purpose, we become more attracted to His glory and to be more desperate for His power. Then we begin to find our delight in God Himself than the miracles He displayed. Crossing Jordan is not just crossing a river it is seeing God’s power, longing for His presence and becoming willing to be led by others. Crossing Jordan is crossing our self driven efforts into becoming a GOD EMPOWERED PEOPLE!

Yes we have our personal river and God can be our personal God but in serving God we see the community of God’s people beyond our self. By faith we see God’s big purpose bigger than ourselves. Like Joshua we become part of the big crowd following the leading of the Priest carrying the Ark Of Covenant. Like the Priest we become willing to wait in the middle until the whole nation crossed over.