Chase Oaks Church is reading the Word of God together again this year, we call it Summit. Here is my contribution and thoughts on Joshua 3:
Christians often talk about serving God as if they themselves know the plans of the Lord. Serving God sounds great; unfortunately God does not need our help! Jesus said it best “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” How do we apply this to our lives? Do we attempt to take God down our paths or do we follow His leading?
The 3rd chapter of Joshua provides a clear illustration of God’s ideal pattern; God is to lead and we are to follow. “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God…move…follow.” The Levitical priests would carry the ark and the Israelites were to follow, but not too closely. They must stay behind the Lord because they had not gone this way before. If only we could apply this truth our own lives day in and day out.
In verse 5, Joshua commands that all the people (not just the priests) should consecrate or set themselves apart for the Lord because He is about to do amazing things among them. Thus, if we submit our lives to the Lord, we will able to see Him move in and around our lives.
The Israelites were about to see God move in ways they could never have imagined. First, God shows Israel that He is with Joshua as he was with Moses. Second, God shows Israel that the living God of the universe is among them and leading them into the Promise Land. He does this by stopping a flood swollen Jordan River and allowing the Israelites to pass on dry ground just as He had done with the Red Sea as Moses led them out of Egypt.
Oh living Lord of the universe, how we need to follow you today. It is so easy for us to get out ahead of you thinking that we know the path before us. Humble us and set us apart so that we can see your amazing works.
Here is permalink for my Joshua 3 devotional on the Summit site.
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