The world is in the middle of a medical pandemic called corona virus, and extreme measures are being employed and recommended for people all over the world. Schools, colleges, and universities are discontinuing class-room instruction and providing online instruction. Restaurants are serving meals on a drive-thru, pickup, or delivery basis. Entire states and certain communities are being asked to “shelter in place” and not venture from home except for necessary activities. Other than essential businesses and services, the world is in many ways being asked to “stand still”.
“Words from Above” in the Bible tell us an amazing event in the life of God’s people in which God gave the order, for those who served as priests, to “stand still” in the Jordan River. As the people of Israel were faced with getting to the other side of a river which was at flood stage, God gave their leader special instructions to make it possible to get to the other side. The Jordan River was normally about 100 feet wide, but when it was at flood stage, the river was about one mile wide, and we read about it in Joshua Chapter 3.
Joshua instructed the priests of Israel to carry a special box called the ark of the covenant and which represented the presence of God. The people were to follow the priests at a distance of 3,000 feet so they could see where they were going easily. Their ancestors had crossed the Red Sea when they left the land of Egypt forty years before, but most of those people were no longer living.
The priests were told to carry the ark of the covenant to the edge of the river, and then stand still there until God stopped the flow of the river from upstream. When the priests followed their orders, God stopped the flow of the river as far as eighteen miles, allowing the people to cross the river on dry ground. Once the river stopped flowing, the priest then moved to the middle of the river, where they again stood still until all the people of Israel had completely crossed over the river.
The most important lesson we can learn from this miraculous event is that when we face difficult barriers in our lives, we can rely on God, and He will provide a way. Part of that lesson is that it is often true that God wants us to take a “step of faith”, like the priests of Israel, before He comes to our rescue. In II Corinthians 5:7, the apostle Paul refers to this act of faith on our part as “walking by faith, and not by sight”.
Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville. Everyone is welcome to attend. For informa-tion, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.
