Scripture:
The people marched out from their tents to cross over the Jordan. The priests carrying the covenant chest were in front of the people. When the priests who were carrying the chest came to the Jordan, their feet touched the edge of the water. The Jordan had overflowed its banks completely, the way it does during the entire harvest season. But at that moment the water of the Jordan coming downstream stood still. It rose up as a single heap very far off, just below Adam, which is the city next to Zarethan. The water going down to the desert sea (that is, the Dead Sea) was cut off completely. The people crossed opposite Jericho. So the priests carrying the Lord’s covenant chest stood firmly on dry land in the middle of the Jordan. Meanwhile, all Israel crossed over on dry land, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan.
Consider:
I love watching history documentaries. I don’t focus on any one time period or area - I more pick the documentaries based on the hosts and if I find them interesting to listen to (or fall asleep to which is what usually happens!) On listening to a wide variety of historians and experts, there is one thing I’ve learned about historians; they hate a counterfactual argument.
Counterfactuals are those arguments that begin with something like “What if someone had killed baby Hitler. Would we still have WW2?” The reason they hate these arguments is you can’t ever know for sure, so it’s mostly just conjecture and guessing, which is the other thing I’ve learned historians don’t like. History is - I’ve been told - about facts. I’m not sure that’s entirely true, but that is a different discussion for another day!
The other thing I’ve learned along the way is there is always an inevitable point of no return. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard historians argue about the turning point of the American Civil War, though they all seem to agree it wasn’t the battle of Gettysburg. No matter where they place this historical turning point, historians agree in all conflicts and major moments in history, there is a point at which the shift in momentum makes it almost inevitable that only one outcome is possible. When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon, the only possibility remaining is he would become Emperor of Rome. There is no turning back.
I’m also amazed at the number of historical turning points that are water based.
How often do we avoid moments of decisions because it feels like a point of no return? We try to push them or ignore those hard choices for as long as possible because, we think, if we don’t make the choice we still have options. In reality, those hard choices are likely already made for us by the momentum of events and the passage of time. Hard words build up until the only choice left is to end the relationship. The medicine stops working after years of treatment. You age and eventually the doctor starts saying things like “Well… there’s nothing wrong with you, you’re just getting older.” These Rubicon moments happen long before we are willing to acknowledge they have happened.
There is good news in the midst of the river, however. When the Israelites took the courageous first step into the river they must cross in order to get to the Promised Land, God stilled the waters. With each step they took, the water parted and gave way, eventually leading to dry land for them to cross. And, when they got to the other side of the crossing, the river closed behind them, leaving their past on the other side. Their only choice was to move forward towards their final destination.
When we reach our own rubicons, and the events of life push us into the river, God does not let the waters come over our heads to drown us. Instead, as we move with courage into God’s future, it will be through still waters and dry land. The journey is still hard, the path not straight, the choice to keep stepping forward is a brave and faithful one, but the water will not consume you. And when you get to the other side of the river, there will be people waiting for you to help you on the inevitable and unavoidable next steps of your journey.
Respond:
What is building up in your life right now that feels difficult or overwhelming? Where do you find yourself on the river banks, being forced to make the decision to step into the water? Have you entered the river already? When you find yourself in these moments of decision - remember the path has already been laid for you and the only choice is how you will move forward into it.
Pray:
God of the journey - we want to be the captain of our own ships, setting our course and dictating each step of our lives. Help us to find joy in the adventure and peace in the unexpected. When we look back on the path of our lives, remind us of the many places the road turned in a different direction than we’d planned and show us the growth we experienced along the way. Amen.
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