Inspiration

Now Watch Us Go!

By Connie Arnold

“…when you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before…”, (Joshua 3:3-4 NIV).

You have never been this way before! Now the children of Israel were ready to make progress again, ready to cross the Jordan to Canaan. God knew where they had come from and knew where they were to go, because He was still conducting ‘His Plan’ despite their inadequacies.

God knows where we have been, because He laid out our life’s journey from birth until death, allowing us to see it a little at a time. So, when He says to us, “you have never been this way before,” we should experience a shiver of excitement. It’s heads-up! Pack your bags. You are due a growth spurt.

You have never been this way before! It is an invitation to move on, to step out. We can rebel and sit down in the middle of the road. But if we ever do plan to make progress, do not forget, it must be from this point of our rebellion. Until then, we will only travel in circles. Unlike the children of Israel, our shoes may wear out and our clothes hang in rags.

You have never been this way before! Comforting words from a God who knows where we stand. Now, right at this moment in time. He knows how many times we have failed to find the right path, and He knows when we are about to break new ground.

You have never been this way before! This is how you will succeed: follow my lead. The Israelites followed the Ark of the Covenant. His Holy Word, our Ark, contains the same items that their ark did, plus Jesus’s redeeming blood and His all-sufficient grace.

You have never been this way before! Clean your sunglasses because  “…tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”