Do you trust God when you are afraid? It is easy to trust God when He is pouring blessings into your life. But God wants you to trust Him with everything that He allows into your life.
God tells each of us: “Do not be afraid.”
Imagine the anticipation as the people of Israel stood at the edge of the Jordan River. They could have crossed the River 40 years earlier, but they refused to trust God.
Israel’s fear kept them from trusting God. They had been soooo close. But their lack of faith insulted God and He punished them with 40 years of wandering, and waiting, and wishing they had trusted Him. Now, 40 years later, it was time to enter the Promised Land. But first, they had to overcome their fear and be willing to cross the Jordan this time!
In the crossing, God taught them a wonderful lesson to help them remember His faithfulness and forget their fear. Joshua stood with the children of Israel at the edge of the Jordan River. God had given Joshua His plan … and Joshua wanted to be sure everyone understood. Even if they were frightened, no one was going to mess up this time! In Joshua 3:9, Joshua said to the Israelites:
“Come here and listen to the word of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.”
God formed the people of Israel into an orderly group prepared to cross the Jordan. Several million very excited, and undoubtedly nervous people standing at the edge of the River. And guess who went first? At verse 11, Joshua explains God’s plan for Israel to hear, so that this time they will not be afraid: “See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you.” God went first! What an example for His people!
God instructed Joshua to keep the Israelites a distance of about 1000 yards behind the ark. Why? Because God knew His people were afraid. He wanted the eyes of every person to be able to look out in front and see God’s ark. God wanted every person to see and know
and remember that He was with them.
Imagine what it was like for the children of Israel … holding Daddy’s hand as millions of people stood at the River’s edge watching the Ark of God’s Presence go first into the fearful situation? … watching God go ahead of them and lead the way? It was indeed a scary situation, because God had chosen for Israel to cross the Jordan River when the river was at flood stage. The water was rushing quickly downhill, full up to its banks! They had to trust Him. And God waited until the priests carrying His Ark touched the water’s edge with their feet … until the priests laid their fear aside and committed fully to trusting Him. Then God’s divine hand stopped the water!
“The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the entire nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.” Joshua 3:17.
God’s Ark — representing God’s Presence — went first. Then God’s Ark remained in the middle of the riverbed, in the deepest part of the river — the most fearful place. God stood guard. Then God’s Ark remained where all His people could see His Presence, at the most fearful place of their journey — encouraging His people to trust Him. Imagine the impact on the little children.
Jesus does the same for you today. And for your children. His Holy Spirit is with you in the darkest and loneliest times of your life … the times when you are afraid … the times when you have a frightening path to walk. You never walk this journey alone. And neither will your child if you teach them to love and trust the Lord.
Imagine that day for the young children … watching the Ark of God w-a-a-ay out in front for everyone to see … witnessing the rushing waters suddenly stop … holding onto their daddy’s hand and following the crowd of people through the dry riverbed … and looking with awe as they walked past the Ark of God held high upon the shoulders of the priests in the deepest part of the riverbed!! God placed His people in a frightening situation — then He led them through to the other side.
God had wonderful promises waiting for Israel on the other side of the Jordan. But they had to lay down their fear and cross the Jordan to get there.
God has something wonderful waiting for you on the other side of your fearful situation. But you also have to overcome your fear. Lay it down. Don’t allow fear to get the best of you … or you will never get to God’s best waiting on the other side. You can trust Jesus to lead you there. Do not be afraid.
Will you follow Him? Will you be a living example to your children that they can trust God? Teach your children this encouraging verse from the Bible:
Jesus said,
“I am the Light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12