“And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.” Joshua 3:13
Standing at the edge of this new year, I am reminded of the story of the Israelites standing at the edge of the Jordan river, about to enter the promised land. It was for them both a beginning and an ending. The end of a long, weary journey through the wilderness. The beginning of a bright future in a new land filled with God’s promises. But to get to that new land, they would have to cross a swollen Jordan river.
The parallels for us are unmistakeable. The past year, perhaps a weary one, is behind us. A brand new year is ahead of us, filled with God’s promises. But it is not that easy. We all carry probems with us into the new year that must be dealt with. A Jordan river, if you will, to cross.
I love the verse that says when the priests stepped into the water, the waters of the Jordan parted, just as they had parted forty years before at the Red Sea. This is a picture of God’s faithfulness to a new generation facing a new challenge. Since God never changes, we should take heart as we step out into the new year, anticipating the faithfulness of an almighty God.
