October 28, 2024

Joshua 3:1-6 (HCSB)
Crossing the Jordan
3 Joshua started early the next morning and left the Acacia Grove with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan and stayed there before crossing. 2 After three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God carried by the Levitical priests, you must break camp and follow it. 4 But keep a distance of about 1,000 yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before.” 5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.” 6 Then he said to the priests, “Take the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.


Sharon Coppock
“Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before.” Here we see the care that God takes in making sure that every Israelite could see where to go. No doubt the distance they were to keep also was because of the sacredness of the ark of the covenant, but it was also so they could always see it ahead of them. If everyone had crowded around, others in the back may have lost sight of which way to go. Sometimes I wish for the presence of God to be as visible as it was during that time, but I know I have it so much better in countless ways. Hello animal sacrifice. Plus, the Spirit is with me always. I simply have to focus on Him. Minimize the noisy, distracting worldliness around me and listen for that still small voice. That’s hard to do in an instant culture, but it’s so necessary in this season of my life that I haven’t traveled before. Otherwise, I’m lost and turned around like a new driver in a foreign land.