Transition…Ever been there? The past 18+ months…that’s been the descriptive word for most…and remains so for me. I taught on it recently using some ideas from another blog I wrote. The response was such that I thought maybe it’s time to revisit the subject. So…here’s a first ever rerun…with a few edits.
NAVIGATING AN UNFAMILIAR-UNKNOWN JOURNEY
Thoughts from Josh 3:1-5
Have you ever had an idea…a dream...the pursuit of which meant an unfamiliar journey and made you ask, “Okay…how do I get from here to there?”
What do you do…how do we keep from hurting or destroying ourselves or others when faced with a “never-done-it-that-way” adventure?
How do we navigate an unknown journey?
What got me thinking about this was a phrase from Joshua.
Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and he and all Israel set out and came to the Jordan, and they lodged there before they crossed. At the end of three days the officers went through the camp; and commanded the people, saying, “When you see the Ark of the Covenant with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about ½ mile. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” (3:1-5)
I find 5 points for navigating an unfamiliar journey.
The Wisdom of the Wary. Frequently…when we face the unfamiliar-unknown we look for similarities with past experiences. There were similarities for Joshua here.
There was an earlier account from spies. Moses had sent out spies before...Numbers 13-14. After that experience Joshua could have easily thought, "No thank you. Not going through that again." If so he would have missed hearing, "God has given the whole country to us. All the people…have melted away before us.” (2:24)
They had faced a strong enemy in a fortified city before. Moses, Joshua and Israel fought and defeated other kings and kingdoms, and captured fortified cities throughout the Exodus.
They had faced what appeared to be an insurmountable, uncrossable body of water before. Red Sea before and now the Jordon River at or above flood stage…1 mile wide and 150 feet deep.
In 3:5 Joshua says “...tomorrow the Lord will do wonders (miracles) among you.” Big deal...from the plagues to the Red Sea to 40 years of manna, these people had experienced miracles and wonders every day.
When navigating the unfamiliar-unknown, the principles from earlier experiences are useful and even necessary, but there is a great temptation to fall into the tyranny of the familiar…into the “that’s the way we always do it.” That’s dangerous on several levels but perhaps most dangerous is that it is a subtle form of self-reliance that pulls us from the critical God-reliance we must have to successfully walk through an unfamiliar-unknown.
Wait – Get the scene here…They were about to step into the end of a 40 year delay.
Think of it – centuries before the promise of a home of their own…the Promised Land…was given. Forty years earlier Moses received the call to “bring My people…out of Egypt” and they were freed for what they thought would be a two-week-trek home. Then the 10-spy-majority-report…disbelief… disobedience…rebellion…and a 14 day trip became a 14,000 day wilderness-wandering.
Now, at last, they were ready…the enemy was demoralized, the land was close…the natural reaction…Let’s go! March to the river’s edge and…CAMP? What? Wait a minute? Shouldn’t we be entering? He who hesitates is lost…CHARGE!
But when we are about to begin a journey into the unfamiliar-unknown…Perhaps into the thing we’ve hoped for, prayed for, believed for…our destiny...the first thing we need to do is camp out and wait for a few days.
I think one reason for this is our tendency to focus on those perceived similarities can cause us to believe we will do this just like we did all the times before.
The worst enemy of a life and walk of faith is not so much active attacks to rob faith as it is the assumption of the familiar that presumes direction and action…That whispers like Samson, “I’ll shake myself like I always did & Father will show up.” (Jdg 16:19)
Camping…slowing down…waiting…can quiet us so we hear. If the Israelites had been noisily marching forward charging into the Promised Land, they would never have heard the instructions of the leaders as they went through the camp.
Although the water didn’t part until the priests stepped into the river…they didn’t step into the river until instructions were received. When beginning an unknown journey…Follow after peace…stay in peace…that is where faith is. Don't surrender to the pressure of stepping out in faith...prematurely.
And...don’t get discouraged…you’re lodging…not settling at this place. It’s temporary – but it is vital.
Watch – Watching allows us to see…to watch for the what and when.
”…when you see…then (the what) you shall set out…” (v. 3) A significant part of waiting is watching.
If we don’t wait and watch we suddenly find ourselves wondering, “How did I miss that?”
It’s the difference between interstate driving and leisurely driving down a country road on a cool spring morning…with the windows down. Both have their place, but the pace of a slow, unhurried drive allows us to see and hear more…things we simply miss at a too-often-too-fast pace.
Worship – Worship builds in us a preparedness that the Bible calls “consecration.”
“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” (v.5)
Basically, “consecrate” means “to dedicate or devote one’s self to God.”
It’s the place or point at which we allow Father to confront those areas in us that may weigh us down or hinder our success on a journey in the unfamiliar-unknown.
But note the instruction of verse 4, “…there shall be between you and (the Ark) a distance of about ½ mile…Do not come near it that you may know the way in which you shall go…”
Fact is…
We cannot follow if we are leading…
We will not follow Whom we do not worship…
And we do not worship Him to Whom we are not consecrated.
It’s our choice…if we make that choice…then we can finally be ready to Walk.
They didn’t crawl but neither did they run…they walked. There may be times along the way when we will run or crawl or even fly…but mostly…we walk. There will be times of suddenly the walls collapse with just a shout…but those times are often proceeded by mostly walking.
When you feel like you’re walking in circles…keep walking…because ”you shall set out…” (v.3) and suddenly step into His destiny planned for us before time began.
On this unfamiliar-unknown journey there are no road maps…No GPS works. And get used to this...whether it’s a day, a weekend, or an extended trip…it’s a repeated-lifetime journey…it’s the faith-challenge of our life in God.
Father, give me…Wisdom to be wary and not assume I “know how to do this”…
Patience to wait…
Ears to hear…
Eyes to see…
The heart to consecrate and worship…and
The courage to walk when You say “set out.” In Jesus’ Name.
Blessings,
Michael M
Please reply to MannMuses@aol.com
PS…Just in case you struggle with the thought of unfamiliar-unknown journeys…Think about this…
To Whom is it unfamiliar-unknown? Not Father. He’s already been there ahead of you.
