Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Crossing Our Jordans

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."
Proverbs 14:12

"These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess—as long as you live in the land. 2 Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. 3 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places.
 4 You must not worship the LORD your God in their way. 5 But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; 6 there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. 7 There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you.
8 You are not to do as we do here today, everyone doing as they see fit, 9 since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance the LORD your God is giving you. 10 But you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest from all your enemies around you so that you will live in safety.
Deut.12:1-10

Crossing the Jordan has great symbolism and meaning for the transition we experience when we are born again. John the Baptizer baptized Jesus in the Jordan River at the beginning of  Jesus' earthly ministry, and, in a sense, as the children of Israel waded through the Jordan, they likewise experienced a type of baptism. There was no intention of going back, no looking over their shoulder, as Lot's wife had done with devastating consequences! As children of God, and co-heirs right along with Jesus we have been grafted in, and likewise we are to move from the world's ways of doing things, to a much better and higher way-the Lord's ways- having moved from being natural, fleshly men & women to people born of the spirit, directed by the Holy Spirit.
We have an inheritance in the Lord that is far richer, that has eternal benefits far beyond what this world has to offer.
We have only to seek after Him-and never look back.
Settle in the place God has for you today.

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