“Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” Joshua 1:2-3 (NIV)
When we last were together, I was explaining how I didn’t want to start another journey when I still felt a little raw from the last one, when God ripped and pulled away my old self to create something more beautiful. However, God reminded me of two very important things. One, He doesn’t rip and pull away. He is gentle, patient and kind during the makeover process. There will be some pain depending upon tightly I hold onto the areas previously considered “Do Not Enter” spaces, but He doesn’t cause the pain. Instead, He simply stands there, inviting me to accept the lifestyle He is offering which is much better than I could ever imagine. Second, life is a series of journeys, each following closely behind the other. He wasn’t asking me to step into the river again. I had already done that and crossed over to the Promised Land. He wasn’t asking me to relive the previous journey. No, God was inviting me to choose the opportunity to begin walking toward the destiny He planted inside me for His glory.
If you look at the verse listed above, the very end of it uses four words of significance: “as I promised Moses.” I promise. I try very hard not to use the words “I promise” unless I know I can deliver. However, when God uses the words “as I promised,” we know that promise will never be broken. God always honors His word… always.
So what is the promise that God gave to Moses? It was that “I will give you every place where you set your foot.” Every place. What exactly does that mean? That means that after the people had faith and took the first step into the Jordan River, the Israelites watched God part the waters and allowed them to cross the river unharmed. Then, instead of sitting down and relaxing, God said that He would give them victory over every place they set their feet. Sounds to me that God gave the Israelites a choice: Do you want to set your feet in multiple places with multiple victories or do you want to play it safe and plant your feet in one place?
I want to encourage all of us with that statement today. If we come to God with a heart that is willing to obey His commands and have asked Him for wisdom to direct our lives and our choices, then I think we can boldly step into wherever God is calling us. My family and I made that choice two years ago and we truly have seen Him do amazing things.
Once we have made that decision and God has begun showing us amazing things, our job then is to run toward what God has called us too, continuing to give Him all the glory for the victories we see. It’s a continuation of the journey we were already on, and life is a series of journeys until we die.
Those two truths removed the fear and filled me instead with a renewed excitement for the adventure that lays ahead in the next 24 months or so. God did amazing things when we stepped into the river with faith… I can’t wait to see what promises He will fulfill as our family runs toward the destiny God has called us to play in His plan.
Where are you in your journey? Are you at the river – ready to step into the Jordan and cross over to the Promised Land God wants you to experience? Or, have you already stepped in faith into the Promised Land and now are ready to run toward the destiny God laid on your heart? Wherever you are, just know God is waiting patiently to give you abundantly more than you can imagine when you obey and walk in the direction He chooses to help you reach the destiny He desires for your life.
© Cheri Swalwell 2016