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Taking the First Step

"And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap." - Joshua 3:13

In this full passage in Joshua 3-4, the Israelites are preparing to cross over the Jordan River into the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering in the desert, and not long after their leader, Moses, has died.  So here they are, under new leadership, and in unchartered waters facing what seemed to be an insurmountable obstacle.  Have you ever been there?  Facing a death of a loved one, a job loss, a financial burden you don't see a way out of?

I would imagine most of us have.  These are usually times when even non-Christians may turn to God in prayer for his guidance.  Sometimes it's hard to know what that next step should be, but there is always a next step.  Look at what God told Joshua, "when the soles of the feet of priests...shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off."  God didn't say go to the riverbank and wait.  He said get in the water, and then watch.  He promised them that they would pass, but he required them to take the first step of faith. 

So whatever river is in front of you today, take that first step into the water with God.  Don't be scared to get your feet wet.  And rely on him to keep you from being overwhelmed by the current.  Lord, I thank you for the rivers you have helped me cross so far in life, and I pray for continued provision for the rivers ahead!

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