Ellen Chauvin | Soaked & Sprouting

Soaked in God's Word, Sprouting Seeds of Faith

Crossing the Jordan

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It’s official. On Friday, August 17, 2018, when I exit the doors of my office, I will officially be RETIRED!

What? How did that happen? I’m only in my twenties, right?

I’ll tell you, there’s a host of mixed emotions going on inside me. Seventeen years I have been at this job. My co-workers are like family to me. They have all loved me well over the years – through deaths of loved ones, births of grandchildren, and all the normal ups and downs of life (Hello, menopause! God bless my co-workers who had to deal with THOSE ups and downs of mine!). 

I’m not going to lie, though. I’m tired. I’ve sensed for a while that it was time to move into a new season. I’ve prayed over this decision. And I have felt the Lord release me, giving me a little shove in the small of my back, helping me to move on. Helping me take this next step of faith.

When I think about it, retirement is something I’ve worked hard for since I was sixteen years old. It’s my inheritance, if you will.

Now it’s time to cross the Jordan, into this new land that the Lord has given me. It’s time to slow down a bit, and rest in His promises. 

Just like the Israelites about to cross the Jordan, retirement and not working outside the home is a path I haven’t traveled before (Josh 3:4). I’m excited, and I’m scared. I’ve never NOT worked, and helped bring income into our home. 

When the people of Israel were instructed to cross the Jordan River, it was flooded and overflowing the banks. When the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant reached the edge of the river, they were to stand in the water (Joshua 3:14-17). Just go on, jump into the overflowing, flooding river! Hmmm, I don’t think so!

A few years back, we had flooding in our area. One of the bayous I had to cross each day had overflowed its banks. Now, normally, it is a slow moving, meandering bayou. Not when it’s flooded! There were snakes and alligators and all sorts of creepy crawly things. The normally sleepy bayou was rushing with flood waters. NO WAY would I ever put my toes in that water!

Because, you see, I couldn’t see. I didn’t know how deep the water was, or how fast it was moving beneath the surface, or what dangers lurked there.

But the minute you cross the Jordan River and settle into the land GOD, your God, is enabling you to inherit, he’ll give you rest from all your surrounding enemies. You’ll be able to settle down and live in safety. Deuteronomy 12:10 MGS  

God had told the people that the minute they crossed the river and settled down, He would give them rest. The minute the priests put their feet in the water, in faith, those flood waters dried up. The priests stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, and all Israel was able to cross on dry ground. 

All it took was faith to dip their toes in the water.

How about you? Is there flood water that the Lord is asking you to cross? It’s scary isn’t it?! But this is His promise: you will have firm, dry ground; you will have rest; you have inherited this. 

Now, go take it!

Taking What God Has Given

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“Oh, I couldn’t possibly take that, but thank you for thinking of me!”

“Why not? It’s my gift to you. I want to give it to you. Take it!”

“No, I just couldn’t…”

Have you ever had this conversation with someone? Their generosity toward you is overwhelming. You don’t feel entitled to the gift they are giving.

Imagine if Joshua and the people of Israel responded to God that way, before they crossed the Jordan.

“Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.” Joshua 1:2-3 NASB

“Oh, Lord God, no, really…we can’t take ALL that land! It’s too much!”

“But, I’ve told you over and over (Genesis 15:18, Numbers 33:53, Deuteronomy 11:24, Joshua 1:2-3)…I’m GIVING you the land. Take it!”

There are so many reasons we don’t take the land God has given us. We’re afraid, so we tell Him “No”; there’s a trust issue, and we don’t think we heard Him correctly. But if we’ve discerned through prayer, His word and Godly counsel, that He has indeed given the land, then we need to take it!

It took years before I freely admitted that I was a writer. God wants ME to write? Why? I love it but how could He possibly use my simple words? I know many fellow writers who have had the same thoughts.

Is there land you haven’t taken? Perhaps you’re an author who hasn’t penned the book the Lord laid on your heart; did God open a door for you that you didn’t walk through; did you turn down the ministry or committee position that you felt God had just for you? Why didn’t you take the land?

Let’s think about what happens when we don’t take the land.

We will have missed a God-given opportunity to use our gifts for God’s glory. There are people in our sphere of influence who need what we have to give. God has given us this particular land for a reason. He has a purpose and a plan for us. We may not see the full picture this side of heaven, but trust that He has a plan for us.

If we don’t take the land God has given, those opportunities will float right by us. We may begin drifting through our days with no real sense of purpose. Add to that, the regret we will have and the “what if” questions we will ask and wonder about.

Now, what happens when we do take the land God has given us?
• God promises not to abandon us (Joshua 1:5)
• God promises to be with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9)

There may be battles, but God has promised He has given the land. He will fight for us. God is on our side. He won’t leave or forsake us. He just asks for our obedience. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)

Now go – take the land!

Grace be with you,