You want me to go where?

I often wonder about the thoughts of people in the Bible. We get the facts, what people said or did, but many times the thoughts and attitudes are left to our own interpretations.

I think it's safe to say that the Isrealites were initially excited and releived when Moses led them out of Egypt. We are told that it wasn't long after they are travelling through the desert that they began to complain and grumble. It's pretty safe to say they quickly became tired, frstrated, anxious, bewildered. They finally reach the promised land and Moses sends spies in. At hearing the report of these spies, the are afraid and unbelieving. Because of these attitudes, we are told, that generation was not allowed to enter the Promised land. So they wondered and walked and got old and had children and traveled. I wonder if they regretted their unbleif. The first generation died and their children finally reached Canaan again. Moses had died and Joshua was in charge. Joshua sends in tow spies who return stating the people in the land are afraid of them.

Here we find the Isrealites in Joshua chapter 3. Camped on the eastern side of the flooding Jordan river, waiting. I wonder what they were thinking. "So, this is the land mom and dad told us about. It really is beautiful. I don't see any giants yet? Do you really think we can take them? How long are we going to be here? It's going to be months before that river goes down enough that we can cross."

Three days later, just as they are settling in, Joshua comes around saying "When you see the priests come by with the ark of the covenant of the Lord (God's house), get up and follow it. Make sure you stay behind a ways so you can see where it's going. You haven't gone this way before. Oh, and sanctify yourselves so you can see His miracles tomorrow." Were the Isrealites excited, thrilled, anxious? I wonder if they were thinking, "We haven't been this way before? We've walked all over this desert. The only place we haven't been is across that river and it's flooding. Oooh, wait, who does he think he is, Moses?" And the ark starts moving. No cloud, no fire, just priests carrying the ark toward the river. By now, I'm sure the people are thinking, "really, he's really going to do it. Has he lost his mind? What happened to that cloud we used to follow?" But they can't help but follow. Partly because they were told to, partly because they don't want to be left alone in the wilderness, but I wonder if it wasn't mostly because they wondered what was going to happen when those priests stepped in the water.

Just as the priests step into the water carrying the ark of the covenant, the water stopped. Suddenly, 15 or 20 miles up the road in the city of Adam, something happened that caused the water to dam up. Amazed, the people of God, walked across the dry riverbed into the land of Promise, no doubt thinking, "hmm, maybe he is Moses. He certainly is favored by God. God is real. God is good. Better hurry across before that dam breaks." The priests stood there until the entire nation crossed over the river Jordan.

Sometimes I feel like the Isrealites. I feel like I've wandered around not exactly sure where I'm going for some time. Then God passes by in a way I don't expect. I follow, not really sure where He's going or what He's going to do. Then He walks toward the water and for a moment I'm frozen in my tracks. "The river? But it's flooding. There's no way I can cross that. What are you thinking?" But He assures me He'll go before me and He'll stay in that river with me until I'm safely across. Then, He'll lead me onward. But the wonders can't begin until I'm willing to step into the and get my soul wet.