Wednesday 27th February

Joshua 3:5 

I remember when we were selling our family home last year. My emotions were like a rollercoaster. When you have been in one place for so long, leaving it can be hard to do. The memories shared, the fun and bad times had, were all now in the past tense. The house is behind us and new horizons await.

 The Israelites were too on the brink of a new leap of faith into God’s promise for them. From the time of Abraham they were promised to have descendants that numbered the stars in the Heavens and the sand grains on the seashores. However, they found themselves staring into a seemingly dark and never ending tunnel when the Egyptians took them into captivity and made them a nation of slaves. For 400 years their identity as God’s chosen people seemed a distant memory. They became the tools of a dynasty that ruled the known world. That was until Moses showed up. God through Moses led the people out of Egypt’s bondage and into God’s purposes and plans. However the happy ending was cut short once again as the Israelites, through their rebellion wandered on a journey in the wilderness for 40 years in what could have been a 4-week journey.

 We re-join the story in Joshua chapter 3. The previous chapters have been describing Moses’ handing over the baton of leadership to Joshua and Joshua’s first acts of authority in spying out the land that God had promised to the Israelites. Something was happening in the atmosphere in Israel’s camp. They knew the journey they had been on. They had seen the old generation die out and now they, the chosen few were to re-birth the nation of Israel and ultimately fulfil God’s promise to them. The anticipation was growing. The report had already come out that Israel’s enemies were trembling in fear of their imminent attack. The victory was won even before the battle had started. Why? Because God was with them.

In verse 5, Joshua issues the most powerful and prophetic statement. “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” What a wonderful statement. How encouraging it must have been to hear their leader, in full assurance that God was with them, boldly stating that God was going to do something amazing in them, thorough them and around them. It must have been such an encouraging message to hear. It is almost like Joshua saying “whatever has happened in the past, your hurts, pains and struggles, leave them in the wilderness. For tomorrow watch what our God is going to do as He leads us into the land of milk and honey that was promised to our fore fathers and now we, yes we, can live in that promise”.

Just reading that one verse excites me. The expectant spirit that must have been in the Israelite’s hearts is one I want in my life. I want to see what wonders God is going to do in my life and you too should expect God to lead you into new pastures, into His promise for your life and into fulfilling God’s plans and desires for you. Just as moving house is processing memories and leaving your past behind, so should our lives be with Christ. The old is gone and the new is here. God has plans for you! Make yourself holy before a holy God and see what wonders He will do in your life!!