Joshua 3:1-6

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1 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it."

Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."

Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they took it up and went ahead of them.

Entering unchartered ground, the Israelites were finally moving in to claim their inheritance. With God leading the way, they could be reassured that they will know which way to go. It got me thinking, do we get reassured when we know that God is leading the way? Moving on to the YG group is moving into unchartered water for me. The student ministry is the only ministry that I know before this. Yet, as I have talked about in the previous posts, I know that God is leading my life to where He wants me to be. It is reasonable to feel uncertain, but is that really a reason not to trust God? Perhaps it's a test for us to put our faith in God. Perhaps one thing this part wants us to learn is that God will always be ahead of us, and we will never overtake Him. So He would be the best person to know and show us the unchartered ground.

What really struck me in this passage is what Joshua told the people: to consecrate themselves cos God will do amazing things among them the following day. There was no sense of doubt that God will do the amazing. Perhaps what is wrong is not with God, but with us. Do we really prepare ourselves for the miracles of God or do we just wait indifferently? I once talked to a friend who dun believe in miracles despite believing in God. I think think that is the difference. Jesus showed it to us perfectly that where faith is little, so will miracles. Perhaps we can only receive miracles in our lives if we have an expectant heart that we will witness these miracles.

One thing that got me thinking as well. Are we spiritually sensitive enough to be led by God's presence in our life everyday? I am still a long way there. I think a lot of us too. But it is good to be led by God's presence, and this is a basic head knowledge for a lot of us. Yet for us to do so experientially is another matter. So we need to continue to pray. Pray for an expectant heart for God's presence in our lives. Pray for increased sensitivity to be led by him.

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