From Joshua 3
There’s a saying that I’ve heard before that goes something like, “prayer is asking for rain. Faith is bringing an umbrella.” When we are asking God to work, or expecting Him to work, we should be prepared for the work He is going to do. The Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land, they were preparing for God to miraculously split the Jordan river for them, so they prepared themselves. It says in Joshua 3:5, “consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” To consecrate themselves meant to spiritually prepare themselves for this upcoming encounter with the work of God. Then the Israelites come to the Jordan river and God stops the river so that they might pass through on dry land. This is reminiscent of Israel’s escape from Pharaoh’s armies in Exodus, where God separated the Red Sea so that the Israelites could pass through on dry land. That wouldn’t have gone unrecognized by the Israelites, whose parents and grandparents had experienced that miracle firsthand. It served to remind Israel that the same God who led them out of Egypt still walked with them into the Promised Land.
In a commentary on Joshua, Harstad asks “how much time do Christians spend in spiritual preparation before meeting the Lord and receiving His miracles in worship?” Does your preparation for worship start on Saturday night when you go to bed early and pray for God to prepare your heart? Does it start on Sunday morning when you wake up and read the text for the week in advance? Does it start during the car ride to church as you try and let go of the arguments of the week? Or does it wait to start when you walk in the door? God instructed the Israelites to prepare themselves in advance of receiving His gifts, why wouldn’t we do the same?
Focus on God
We are reminded in these verses that God graciously gives His people incredible gifts.
Function in Our Lives
We are encouraged to prepare ourselves for worship, prepare ourselves to receive God’s gifts, well in advance.
Topics to Pray About
- Thank God for leading the Israelites into the place where Jesus would eventually be born.
- Confess to God the times where you fail to prepare yourself to receive His gifts.
- Ask God to bless you in incredible ways.
In His Service,
J. LeBorious