Remembering all of our tomorrows

 Two of my granddaughters have this need to pack and carry their attachments with them. One always has a backpack filled with stuffed animals, and the other usually carries her things in her arms. She will pack her arms so full that she drops most of it as she moves about. She possesses a sense of patience beyond her two-and-a-half years, and, in her mind, she thinks she can hang onto it all while piling on more.

Methodically and calmly she will stack them onto her little arms, while she drops more from the other side. She never gets upset or lashes out, she just keeps working away at her task. Eventually she lays down what is of least importance, makes her first trip and then returns for what she left behind. With that mentality, we can realize that many things in this life will pile on us. Lots of them will build up weightiness and become overwhelming at times. Maybe we need to learn a deeply spiritual lesson from a toddler and realize that the only way to hang onto what’s important is to let go of what isn’t.

In the Old Testament, Joshua moved the entire nation of Israel to the edge of the Jordan and instructed them to follow the presence of God across the flooded river to their new home. The story is told in the third chapter of Joshua. The only difference for them was that they were to follow the literal presence of God in the form of the ark of the covenant. Unlike our river crossing attempts where we build bridges or boats, God just simply stopped the water as they entered. He parted the river, and the whole nation crossed over. They were reminded the day before that if they were to step into the wonders of the Lord, then they would have to step away from themselves. They did that when Joshua called them to consecrate themselves. Verse 1 says that God exalted Joshua in the sight of the people. That also came after their time of consecration. Favor, blessing, outpouring, and wonders come only after preparation. They set themselves apart for God, and he opened the waters for them. I have often played the words of Joshua in my mind as he addressed the crowd during their pre-miracle consecration. I would like to think he spoke of the power of God through the wilderness journey, the voice of God through Moses and the stench of slavery they left in Egypt. But I can hear him as he pointed to the far side of the river, to the rocky banks of the promised land and told them “remember your tomorrows, for the only way to hang onto what important is to let go of what isn’t.”

The priest carried the ark of the Lord into the river, and, in verse 17, yet they “stood firmly on dry ground” as the nation passed before them. In life, we will find that most everything is a raging river. Situations have a way of sweeping away our faith along with our hope sometimes, and, if we’re going to make it across, we’re going to have to remember our tomorrows and focus on what’s important.

Joshua mentions seven nations in chapter 3 and verse 10 that either God or Moses had mentioned to them nine times before. Seven nations, seven powers that had set up residence in their promised land. They were already there, and there was nothing they could do to change that except to drive them out. This is an Old Testament version of the Antichrist spirit. Just like the nation of Israel had to drive out enemies that were trying to keep them from occupying the promise land, there are things we have to drive out of our lives that want to keep us from occupying God’s promises for our lives. The question is, what are these antichrist powers in your life? Because if they’re going to be removed, then they must be driven out, and the only way to do that is through the holy spirit. Joshua did that by consecration and obedience to the Lord and trusting fully in him.

We have much more to discuss on this, so join me in service this Sunday at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., at Christpoint Church, on the square in Sparta. We’re real people, living real lives, serving a real God. Welcome home.