“Are we there yet?” Any parent has heard these words multiple times on a trip with their kids—and probably will hear it every few minutes until they arrive or the children fall asleep. Life today, even for adults, is filled with a lot of ‘are we there yet’s’. A current cell-phone ad focuses on the super speed of the 4G network, versus the 3G with a caller who hasn’t gotten their call through yet. Fast food restaurants capitalize on getting customers around the drive-thru quicker because the people at the drive-thru across the street haven’t gotten their orders yet. A yellow traffic light no longer means caution instead means ‘hit the gas’ because we aren’t at our destination yet. The most difficult adjustments for us after returning from living in Zambia, was the fast-pace American life. Regretfully, life continues to get faster and faster.
As I studied the passage of Israel crossing the Jordon River for the past couple of weeks, I was reminded that God still operates at a different pace. After the priest got their feet wet, God stopped the waters from flowing. The waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away (Jos 3:16). In whatever way God made this happen, it took a period of time for the water to recede at the location where the Priest were standing. It was step-by-step until they were finally in the middle on dry ground. God works in step-by-step stages. Note several scriptures: A man’s steps are established by the Lord . . . (Psalms 37:23). A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps (Proverbs 16:9). A man’s steps are determined by the Lord . . . (Proverbs 20:24)? I know, Lord, that a man’s way of life is not his own; no one who walks determines his own steps (Jer 10:23).
The people waiting to cross the Jordon could see their promise land. Yet, they couldn’t get impatient and race across in knee deep water. They had to watch the priest move step-by-step until God’s instructions were fulfilled. We can only imagine what the results might have been if they had disobeyed. How many times have we all seen our promise land before us and raced ahead of God with disastrous results?
David wrote, Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all [my] days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began (Psalms 139:16). Taking this scripture, in light of the above scriptures, means that God planned every day of our life down to the steps we would take. That is a tremendous reassurance. God has everything under control down to every step.
We have three choices. Even though God has a step-by-step plan, because He gave us free-will, we can reject it. But since the Pharisees and experts in the law had not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves (Lk 7:30). Second, we can get ahead of Him. Abraham and Sarah did this and thus the birth of Ishmael. Why not choose the last option? Walk in His step-by-step plan. He already has every detail worked out. Yes, in this fast paced culture, we all get impatient and wonder why we aren’t there yet. I wonder if God, like parents with their children on a trip, chuckles a bit knowing it will be awhile. As a parent reassures their restless children, the Father is saying to us, “It will be awhile, but we’re on the right road and will arrive on time”.
Sustaining Word for the Week:
Life is a step-by-step journey. God already has it planned. All we have to do is trust Him, accept it, and not rush ahead. He knows where He taking us and will get us there on time.