The big day was just one day away! Over fourteen thousand days (40 years) had passed since the Israelites had begun their journey. The next day they would finally cross over into the Promised Land.(1)

i don’t know the details of your particular journey, but i would venture that you have not been waiting for forty years to cross over into God’s promise. i also do not know where you are in your journey – you may be at that place that you are preparing to cross over into the place God has promised you – or you may still have a ways to go. But be mindful that no matter where you are, you have not passed this way before.

Just like the Israelites, we are journeying into the unknown. There are barriers ahead – those we can see (like the Jordan River and the walls surrounding the city of Jericho), and those we have not yet seen. There are adversaries ahead – those that will be obvious (like the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites and the rest of the “ites”) and those that will not be so obvious (like the Gibeonites(2)). God has never said that His promise ahead would be absent of barriers and adversaries. However, He has said that He will never leave us nor forsake us.(3) And just like His promise to the Israelites as they stood on the banks of the Jordan River, He has promised that He will go before us and go with us. He had always gone before them – and once more He was promising to always be – their Way Maker.

A significant change was about to take place in their journey. For forty years they had been led by a pillar of cloud or a pillar of fire. Wherever God had led them, a pillar had gone before them. Now, as they prepared to cross the Jordan River, God made no mention of a pillar. For forty years, the pillar had been a clear indication of His direction and His presence. But now the Ark would go before them – representing the covenant (His Word) between God and His people. His Word would now be leading the way – heralding His promise that if He “is for us, who can be against us”(4) – and marking out the path they were to follow.

Inside the Ark were the tablets containing the Law. On the outside was the mercy seat – representing God’s judgement and grace. Together, the Ark was the picture of God’s divine law under His judgement and grace – a perfect representation of not only His presence but also His favor. It is a picture to us of the embodiment of His Word and His Spirit as He leads and directs us in our steps.

When they saw the Ark move, the people were to follow it. This is an important distinction. The people were not taking the Ark with them; rather, they were following the Ark. It was not their role to establish the direction and then justify it with the presence of the Ark. Rather they were to walk fully-surrendered to the direction of the Ark.

Our pride often rebels against doing that. We are willing to cry out to God to ask for His wisdom as long as we get to make the decision. But the point of following the Ark was that God made the decisions! They were to follow His Word, walk under His grace and be led by His Spirit. Does that mean that they were to be mindless drones? No, it means they were to be children and servants of the Most High God – walking in the wisdom that begins in the fear of the Lord.(5) They were to walk as far as He directed … in the path He directed … and no further, until He led them to do so.

And they were to keep a clear distance between themselves and the Ark. That distance provided three important reminders to them – and to us. First, the Ark did not require the protection of the Israelites, rather they required the protection of the Ark. God’s Word, leadership and direction in our lives does not require our defense or protection, rather we are to align our lives with His Word, His Spirit and His leadership, and live and rest under the shadow of the Almighty.(6) There are times when God will clearly direct us to do things that make no earthly sense. But we will know that we are doing exactly what God has directed us to do. We need to resist the temptation to “defend” God’s Word. If we have clearly heard from His Word, and He has affirmed that direction through godly counsel and circumstance, we must follow Him boldly – clearly articulating His Word and His direction – and setting it before us so that those watching us know it. Then allow Him to protect and defend His own Word.

Second, setting the Ark a clear distance ahead enabled the Israelites to clearly see His direction. We must continue to stay postured in His Word, in His Spirit and to His leadership in such a way that we are following Him – not turning to the side, not running ahead, but staying on pace with Him – keeping Him clearly in our sights.

Third, keeping the Ark a clear distance ahead of them insured that those who saw them would clearly see that it was the God of Israel who was leading them. We must make sure that we are walking in a way that clearly communicates that our lives and walk are in complete alignment with His Word, His Spirit and His leadership. We must not make compromises that detract from His leadership.

In that regard, Joshua admonished the people to purify themselves – to be prepared to follow the Ark. He assured them – just as we need to be assured – that the Lord would do great wonders before them and in their midst. They – and we – are walking in a way that we have never gone before. There are no other tracks to follow or on which to rely. That can be a scary place – but take heart – we are following the Way Maker.

We must separate ourselves from anything that will distract us or cloud our vision. The fact that there are “no tracks to follow” may in fact help us on this point. We must stay focused on the One who is leading us, not the journey itself or the distractions along the way.

And lastly, we must be mindful that as the Way Maker goes before us; He is wholly-devoted to us. He has extended His love, His grace and His mercy – even His own Son – that we might walk clothed in His righteousness in a relationship with Him. He chose us. He saved us. He goes before us. The path that He is leading us on right now – whatever it is – He will use to accomplish whatever needs to be accomplished – in … and through … our lives. He can accomplish it without us. But we cannot do it without Him! And He has chosen to use us!

So – let’s stop, right now – and acknowledge Him! We have not passed this way before. But by His grace, the Way Maker is going before us. And He will lead us through!

Way Maker

You are here, moving in our midst
I worship You
I worship You
You are here, working in this place
I worship You
I worship You

You are
Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are
(Repeat)

You are here, touching every heart
I worship You
I worship You
You are here, healing every life
I worship You
I worship You

Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are
(Repeat)

That is who You are
(Repeat 7x)

By faith I believe that

Even when I don't see it, You're working
Even when I don't feel it, You're working
You never stop, You never stop working
You never stop, You never stop working

(Repeat)

Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are
(Repeat)

You are here

Way maker

I worship You

Songwriter: Osinachi Okoro

Sung by Mandisa

* * * * *

(1) Joshua 3:1-8

(2) Joshua 9

(3) Hebrews 13:5

(4) Romans 8:31