Joshua 4

The flow of the Jordan was cut off BEFORE the ark of the covenant of the Lord. (Joshua 4:7). What I’m getting from this is that God always prepares the way for us. He doesn’t just send us into something unprepared. God knew exactly what he was going to do with the tribe of Israel and made sure that everything went smoothly. The same thing happens with us. He doesn’t just send us into difficulties in our lives without readying us first. It’s like, a General of an army doesn’t send his troops out into battle without first equipping them and having a plan. Even if they (the soldiers) don’t know it yet, the leader does and he will walk them through it! Wow! Okay sort of just clicked in my brain as I write this. God is omniscient right? Knows everything right? Well then he obviously knows what’s going to happen! In Romans 8:28 it says that God works through and with all things so that everything works out for our good. Sometimes I’m just so confused, okay like pretty much all of the time, even when I think I’m not, I truly am! And I pray, “God I’m just so confused. I just don’t get it. I don’t get it. I don’t get it. I don’t get it. Why? Why? Why are you doing this? What good is there in this? I know that you’re always good and in the end this will end up well and better than I could imagine, so could you just let me in on the secret? Just a little?” That’s not really how things work though. Uh. But yeah God prepared a way for the Israelites to OVERCOME what they were going THROUGH. Nothing stood in their way that was too big for their (and ours! Yay!! Praise him!) God! Do you remember that Veggie Tales song that goes, “My God is bigger than the boogie man, the monsters on TV…” well that’s exactly what was going on here! “My God is bigger than the Jordan, the city of Jericho…” was what the Israelites would have been singing! Also, when in verse 7 later on it the Bible says, “These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”  And then in Joshua 4:21-24, “He said to the Israelites, ‘In the future when your descendants as their fathers, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the people so the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is POWERFUL and so that you ALWAYS fear the Lord your God.’” To me this is saying, what’s going on right now is BIG and will be memorable to you and your people (aka family and friends and those who know you) forever! God did the impossible at the moment that they needed it. He knows just what we need and when! And God has done amazing things and will do them again. What he does know is all for a purpose. I have no idea what that might be and neither might you, but let me tell you, God knows! And it’s great. He will teach thousands with what you know and are going through right now. What He has planned is so huge so just walk through right now and rejoice in the fact that God is here. He has prepared a way for you. He is preparing you for the future with what’s going on right now. He is AWESOME in every way possible. He has the future planned. He went with Israel and he’s going with you too. 

P.S. A little update on me, school is still so crazy but God is so good! Praise him! Tomorrow is the last day of school for the week for public schools in Minnesota and thankful that means me too! Yay! And on Thursday my youth group and I are headed off to Rochester, MN for Minnesota Youth Convention. It's like all Assemblies of God youth groups come to Rochester, stay in hotels for a few nights of this annual break off from school we have, and have worship, hang out, and hear from an amazing speaker (: I'm so excited! Have a blessed day y'all (:

-Janae