March 19, 2019: SOAP #3393: Joshua 3-6; 1Corinthians 4
Scripture: Joshua (NIV) 4:10 Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the LORD had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, 11 and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the LORD and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. …
18 And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran in flood as before.
Observation: The people had seen the priests step into the waters of the Jordan river. They had seen the river stop running. They had seen the dry land appear. They saw the priests with the ark on their shoulders standing in the middle of the river bed. Then the writer adds a short descriptive note. It is not needed to add to the narrative. If it was not included, any reader would assume that it was true. “The people hurried over…” They were not taking a leisurely stroll. They did not take time to sit in the sun. They did not build castles in the river-bottom sand. They were in a hurry.
God had promised this land to the Israelites. This had been their destination since leaving Egypt. The river was held back, and they hurried in.
Application: When God opens a door of opportunity to a vision He has been building in my life, I need to be quick to move through it. When God arranges an unexpected time together with a person for whom I have been praying, I need to hurry to the opportunity. I need to walk in faith that God has arranged that opportunity in answer to prayer. That is not the time to be dragging my feet.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, when a door of opportunity opens, may I hurry through it, expecting to find you already at work. Amen
Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!
SOAPs by Pastor Leon 