it is now. joshuas, arise!

Joshua, Joshua, Joshua.

How did you feel when Moses laid his hand on you and appointed you successor over 2 million ungrateful grumbling Israelites? Of course, they weren't all that bad. But still.

How did you feel, really, when out of the 12 spies that were sent out, only you and Caleb had faith to possess God's promise, but majority won and your positive report was over-ruled by 'grasshoppers'?

How did you feel when Moses, at 120 yrs old, died, and left you with his unfulfilled mission to accomplish, and the people you are now to lead doubt God's presence is with you?

How did you feel, i wonder, when God keeps telling you to 'be strong and courageous' at a moment when the whole nation's future is uncertain and at the threshold of destiny before stepping into Canaan (which was seemingly an impossible dream for over 40 years) by just meditating on His Word? i mean, you need battle plans and strategy meetings and nation management seminars, man.

And then, God says to move out toward the Jordan river during flood season, and you are to bring everyone to cross over through swollen waters and treacherous undercurrents, without actually giving you a detailed instruction manual or the guidebook 'How To Part Waters - For Dummies version 2.0', how DID you feel?

what WERE you thinking?

it was harvest season, and time was ripe to cross over! God already set apart the Promised Land, just waiting for Israel to conquer city by city. you led the people to win battles and proved God's faithfulness and power - "[God] did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that [we] might always fear the LORD [our] God." Joshua 4:24

i'd love to meet you and talk to you, if only you were still around. maybe borrow that guidebook, since you don't really need it anymore. we kinda need to part some waters down here, it's harvest time again.


i learnt from studying Joshua 3:
1) preparation together (3:1-5)
2) primacy of the Ark (3:6, 11)
3) positioning of leaders (3:7-8, 12-13)
4) possession of God's promises (3:9-10, 14-16)
5) perseverance to the end (3:17)

God's Kingdom is near. His people are to claim His promises but that won't be fulfilled until we step out in faith to touch the water's edge. only then, will waters part. are you staying on the east side of Jordan afraid to cross over? it's harvest time. the time is ripe.

Martin Luther King, Jr (another water-parter) said, "The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in times of challenge and controversy."

stand in the river, or die of famine.
cross over now, or the land lost to the Enemy.
be a Joshua. be a Joshua-follower. just don't be a grasshopper!