Category: God’s Word

Step Into the River

As soon as the priests…set foot in the Jordan, its waters…will be cut off.

~ Joshua 3:13

The Israelites were not to wait in the camp until the Jordan was opened but to “walk by faith” (2 Cor. 5:7). They were to break camp, pack up their belongings, form a marching line, and actually step into the river before it would be opened.

If they had come down to the riverbank and then stopped, waiting for the water to divide before stepping into it, they would have waited in vain. They were told to “set foot in the Jordan” before “its waters…will be cut off.”

We must learn to take God at His word and walk straight ahead in obedience, even when we can see no way to go forward. The reason we are so often sidetracked by difficulties is that we expect to see barriers removed before we even try to pass through.

If we would only move straight ahead in faith, the path would be opened for us. But we stand still, waiting for the obstacle to be removed, when we ought to go forward as if there were no obstacles at all.

from Evening Thoughts

Photo Credit: Unknown

The Joy Dare – Three Old Things Seen New

Sometimes it’s difficult to change our perspective and to see “old things” through “new eyes.” But that was my dare for yesterday, and God provided three things that I needed to see in a new way!

  1. Perceiving “Small Stuff” for What it Is – I worry about little things. I don’t know why…maybe it’s a part of my perfectionism and OCD. But God showed me (and I’m sure that He will need to continue to show me) that He’s got them under control. If He has the BIG things in His hands – like the operation of the entire universe – I should think that He can take care of a few details in my life. As my wise Grandmom always tells me, “Don’t sweat the small stuff!”
  2. Starting with a Clean Slate – It was another one of those days where I poked my head outside in the early morning and was blessed to see the sunrise in the distance. It reminded me of how my old sins from the previous day had been completely washed away by my Savior. With the new morning came new mercies, and also a new opportunity to rely on God to obey Him.
  3. Being Re-Inspired by a Familiar Verse – 1 Peter 5:7 has always been a favorite Scripture of mine: “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (NKJV). But as I was reading a selection from 31 Days of Praise, I encountered a different version of the verse. It read: “You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon him, for you are his personal concern” (PHILLIPS). This just clicked with me. I could give the entire weight of my worries to God, because my well-being matters to Him. When someone or something is your personal concern, it means that everything that happens to that person or thing is important to you. So every single situation that concerns me concerns God – and I can trust Him with each one!

One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.

Henry Miller

Photo Credit: Bjorn Simon