How we can cross over to the other side

Joshua 1:1-9

Moses died. The Israelites mourned for him for fourty days. Joshua was called to lead the people since the Israelites had not arrived at the promised land yet. They had to move on.

It must have been a daunting task and a difficult thing to accept the call. The Israelites had been wandering in the wilderness for fourty years. Many have died, including Moses, their great leader.

Likewise, we are asked to move forward and not remain for too long in one place in our Christian life. But on the way and before us, we often face difficulties and mountains so high we do not think it possible to go over. In such a case, many of us tend to stay behind, not reaching the promised land. Many of the Israelites fell because they were disobedient.

What does it take, then, to go forward? Let us look at some of them, taking the example of the Israelites and that of Joshua.

1. To prepare, the be ready to cross over

The LORD said to Joshua, “Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites” (Jos. 1:2). Now, Joshua had to cross the Jordan, the river which was swelling and flooding. It would have been easier to understand and obey the word of the LORD had the river been dry or at least easier to cross. But the LORD said to cross, and cross they will. Not only this, they also had to face the armies of the Hitties, Jebusites and others beyond the Jordan, into a land they have not passed before.

How often had we faced such situations in our lives? We are constantly facing new things that we have not seen or experienced before. Many of us become scared that we stayed behind and refused to transform ourselves for the better.

We must remember that the one who called us to move on is the LORD, the omnipotent God. He comes in when we start out.

2. No intention to retreat

It must have been hard to move forward as their great leader had passed away. But this is the command of God. They had to move on even when Jordan was flooding. God provided a way so they could cross even the Jordan.

The Lord Jesus Christ, along with His disciples, also crossed over to the other side even when the sea was raging.

Let us understand that the LORD does not work necessarily according to our plans or understandings.

There was never a plan to stay behind because the river was flooding. They moved on.

3. The LORD is faithful in His promises, He is always with us

The LORD is faithful. Verses 3-6 says, “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory. No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them.” The LORD promised to be with them, for all their lives. He never breaks promises.

4. To be obedient to the LORD

All the promises above depends on the next two verses (7-8): Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful.”

Even though Moses was gone, the laws and commands of the LORD remains. And obedience to the LORD is the key to the success of the Israelites.

Likewise, we also need to completely trust in the LORD and obey his commands. Many a times, we trust in ourselves too much that we tend to forego the LORD’s directions and commands. This is so wrong. Instead, we must remain faithful to Him and to His words and then move on. When the Lord Jesus crossed the sea, even the winds and the sea obeyed His commands. Won’t we?

Conclusion

We must move forward in our Christian lives. Like the Israelites who must move forward to occupy the promised land, we must also move forward to reach the goal God sets for us, obeying every command.