Faith In Action
So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that isbeside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan. Joshua 3:14-17
By stepping into the waters of the Jordan River before any observable sign of its parting, the priests demonstrated their faith in God’s promise and their willingness to follow His instructions – even when they had seen it done differently in the past. It’s an act of obedience, believing that God will fulfill His word and make a way for them. It is not until the moment their feet touch the water that the supernatural intervention begins. Let me say that again – it was not until AFTER they operated on faith that they saw a sign.
Signs Follow Faith
“And these signs will follow those who believe” (Mark 16:17a). This verse reminds us that signs follow faith, not the reverse. Too often, we wait for a sign before saying “Yes” to God. We ask for confirmations, talk to friends, seek prayer, and can spend years praying about things. While these are good practices, they may not always be the best. We need to discern between good and best. Sometimes, we ask for confirmation for things we don’t want to do and avoid asking for things we do want to do.
Obedience Without Signs
I have found myself, in seeking one more sign, nearing the point of disobedience. It is the things we cannot see that we doubt the most. It is the things that don’t seem like the right time that we doubt the most. It is the things that seem impossible that we doubt the most. And so, we ask and pray for a thousand signs – just to be sure. God is gracious and often gives us the signs we need – but is that really faith? More specifically, is it blind faith?
True Faith Takes Action
True faith requires us to take action even when we can’t see the outcome. The priests stepping into the Jordan River exemplified this. They trusted God’s promises and moved forward in obedience. Our faith journey should be marked by similar steps of trust, believing that God will fulfill His word and make a way for us.
Challenge Question:
When was the last time you took a step of faith without waiting for a sign? Are you willing to trust God’s promises and move forward in obedience, even when you can’t see the outcome?
To learn more on this topic, check out this YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaMLikcR9YvY8Tn58k1rM-2CxmZzJKvOq&si=hrj5AlKsTianS55A
Read: Your West Side Story: https://lisa-schwarz.com/your-west-side-story/
