Conclusion: God takes us on many journeys through our lives. Some are fairly easy and others are difficult. Sometimes he takes us on the longer road through enemy territory because if he makes it too easy for us, it would be tempting for us to return to our old patterns of behavior. So, often he allows us to go through hardships and difficulties in order to strengthen our faith and our determination to follow the Lord no matter where he leads us and to obey him in all things.
Yet, even when the Lord allows us to travel these difficult roads laden with trials and tribulations, he promises his true children that he will go before them and he will prepare the way and he promises to never leave us or forsake us. Sometimes, though, we forsake him because we have responded in fear rather than in faith to our circumstances, but even then he gently prods us to get back on the right path. God says this is not our real home and that we are merely strangers and pilgrims here. If we make that our focus, then perhaps we could alleviate some of the suffering we go through when we try to make this world our home.
The people had been living in bondage to Egypt. They were in captivity. When Jesus came to earth to die for our sins he came to set us free. He is our Moses and our Joshua who came to lead us out of captivity and slavery to sin and into His wonderful light and freedom. And, he is leading us into the Promised Land of heaven. Whereas these men were merely men, he is God and so he became the perfect sacrifice for our sins when he shed his blood for our sins on the cross. He suffered so that we could be free, not only of the penalty of sin, but also the bondage to and the control of sin over our lives. He came to set us truly FREE! Sin no longer has to be our master!
Our “Jordan” symbolizes our decision to make Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior via repentance from sin and faith and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ. When we are on that “verge” of the Jordan, it can be a fearful experience, not knowing what awaits us on the other side, but that is why it is called faith. We will have many “Jordan” experiences in our Christian walk – not many salvations – but circumstances we will come against where we will have to take serious steps of faith. Even there, the Lord and his presence promise to go ahead of us and to prepare the way – both before us and bringing up the rear so that we are protected on all sides.
God is the God of miracles and he is waiting patiently for us many times to just trust him with what lies ahead and to not have to have it all figured out before we are willing to just put our feet into the Jordan and to trust that God will do the rest. God is calling out to each and every one of us to put our absolute faith and trust in ALL his provisions and HIS complete ability to meet our every need.
The Bible stated that the Jordan was at “flood stage.” That is so God to have our circumstances seem to be nearly impossible in order for him to show his glory through it. If we could do it ourselves we wouldn’t need God. So, when it looks the most hopeless, know that God is in control and that he has a plan and He wants to get the glory through it if we will just put our feet inside the Jordan.
The people were looking to Jesus and were following him because he fed them physical food. We often will be drawn to ministries that meet our physical needs or our emotional needs or social needs, but what God truly wants is for us to hunger and thirst after righteousness. He wants us to want him more than we desire what we can get out of him. He wants to be the bread that satisfies our hunger instead of all the trappings of the world that we look for to meet whatever needs we feel that we have. He is saying to us “I am the bread of life. Hunger after me and you will be so satisfied that you won’t need anything else.”
The Lord is telling us here that he wants to be our all sufficiency. He wants us to know that he can meet our every need (not necessarily our every want), that he will go before us, that he will lead and guide us, he will prepare the way before us and behind us, that he will never leave us or forsake us, if only we will put our trust in him and we will let him have the Lordship over our lives.
One day, I believe soon, Jesus is coming back. And, he will take us to be with him. One day these struggles we have had to face on this earth will be over. There will be no more pain and no more sorrow and all will be glorious. Until then, we will have trials and tribulations as well as many times of ease and relaxation. As we look forward to our Lord’s soon return and we long for that time when we will be with him for eternity, let us live lives pleasing unto him, in full obedience. Let us not grow weary in our walk of faith and let us step into those “Jordan” experiences of our lives knowing full well that God is before us, he is with us and he is bringing up the rear, as well. He is our Guide. Though we are weak, he is mighty. May we hunger for him more than anything else on the face of this earth!!
Yet, even when the Lord allows us to travel these difficult roads laden with trials and tribulations, he promises his true children that he will go before them and he will prepare the way and he promises to never leave us or forsake us. Sometimes, though, we forsake him because we have responded in fear rather than in faith to our circumstances, but even then he gently prods us to get back on the right path. God says this is not our real home and that we are merely strangers and pilgrims here. If we make that our focus, then perhaps we could alleviate some of the suffering we go through when we try to make this world our home.
The people had been living in bondage to Egypt. They were in captivity. When Jesus came to earth to die for our sins he came to set us free. He is our Moses and our Joshua who came to lead us out of captivity and slavery to sin and into His wonderful light and freedom. And, he is leading us into the Promised Land of heaven. Whereas these men were merely men, he is God and so he became the perfect sacrifice for our sins when he shed his blood for our sins on the cross. He suffered so that we could be free, not only of the penalty of sin, but also the bondage to and the control of sin over our lives. He came to set us truly FREE! Sin no longer has to be our master!
Our “Jordan” symbolizes our decision to make Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior via repentance from sin and faith and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ. When we are on that “verge” of the Jordan, it can be a fearful experience, not knowing what awaits us on the other side, but that is why it is called faith. We will have many “Jordan” experiences in our Christian walk – not many salvations – but circumstances we will come against where we will have to take serious steps of faith. Even there, the Lord and his presence promise to go ahead of us and to prepare the way – both before us and bringing up the rear so that we are protected on all sides.
God is the God of miracles and he is waiting patiently for us many times to just trust him with what lies ahead and to not have to have it all figured out before we are willing to just put our feet into the Jordan and to trust that God will do the rest. God is calling out to each and every one of us to put our absolute faith and trust in ALL his provisions and HIS complete ability to meet our every need.
The Bible stated that the Jordan was at “flood stage.” That is so God to have our circumstances seem to be nearly impossible in order for him to show his glory through it. If we could do it ourselves we wouldn’t need God. So, when it looks the most hopeless, know that God is in control and that he has a plan and He wants to get the glory through it if we will just put our feet inside the Jordan.
The people were looking to Jesus and were following him because he fed them physical food. We often will be drawn to ministries that meet our physical needs or our emotional needs or social needs, but what God truly wants is for us to hunger and thirst after righteousness. He wants us to want him more than we desire what we can get out of him. He wants to be the bread that satisfies our hunger instead of all the trappings of the world that we look for to meet whatever needs we feel that we have. He is saying to us “I am the bread of life. Hunger after me and you will be so satisfied that you won’t need anything else.”
The Lord is telling us here that he wants to be our all sufficiency. He wants us to know that he can meet our every need (not necessarily our every want), that he will go before us, that he will lead and guide us, he will prepare the way before us and behind us, that he will never leave us or forsake us, if only we will put our trust in him and we will let him have the Lordship over our lives.
One day, I believe soon, Jesus is coming back. And, he will take us to be with him. One day these struggles we have had to face on this earth will be over. There will be no more pain and no more sorrow and all will be glorious. Until then, we will have trials and tribulations as well as many times of ease and relaxation. As we look forward to our Lord’s soon return and we long for that time when we will be with him for eternity, let us live lives pleasing unto him, in full obedience. Let us not grow weary in our walk of faith and let us step into those “Jordan” experiences of our lives knowing full well that God is before us, he is with us and he is bringing up the rear, as well. He is our Guide. Though we are weak, he is mighty. May we hunger for him more than anything else on the face of this earth!!
