O Yes,You Can!
“…you have never been this way before.”–Joshua 3:4b (NIV)
A driver inched her jeep along one of themost treacherous roads
in the RockyMountains.Approaching an extremely narrow pass
with no guardrail, she contemplated turning around. “Nothing
will keep me from plunging thousands of feet into that gorge,”
she quivered. Just then, she noticed a small sign posted on the
ledge: “O yes, you can! Thousands have.”Her jeep crept forward
once again.
Howmany times have we balked along the path of faith because
of fear?
Stronger faith is the antidote to strangling fear (cf. Matt 6:25-
33). The lush valley is often just on the other side of the
treacherous cliff. To develop our faith muscles, we must take
actual steps of faith.
During most of the year, the Jordan River was about 100 feet
wide, but it became a mile wide at flood stage each spring. That
was just when Israel crossed it (see Josh. 3). The water stopped
flowing and stood like a wall about twenty miles upstream as
soon as the priests bearing the ark put their feet into it. Unlike
the crossing of the Red Sea (Exod. 14), this crossing wasn’t
brought about by the obedient arm of a leader (Moses’ raised
staff) but by the obedient feet of the people. It was God’smiracle
in response to faith.
Unless we’re willing to “get our feet wet” by stepping in faith,we
won’tmakemuch progress in theChristian life (cf.Matt 14:22-34).
Like the Israelites crossing the Jordan in uncharted territory,
when we take steps of faith toward God’s leading—despite our
fears of drowning—we findHimfaithful tomake us “stand firm
on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan” (Josh 3:17). And as
Peter’s example teaches us,wemust keep our eyes onHimto stay
afloat (Matt 14:30; Heb 12:2)! True faith acts.
Note the verbs in Hebrews 11: “offered…warned…built…
went…lived…spoke…conquered,” etc. Living faith is not mere
intellectual assent to certain facts, but holistically embracing
truth so that it leads to action (e.g., Jas 2:14-26). We can’t
arrogantly presume that our plans are God’s plans (Jas 4:13-17),
but we can know with certainty that our Shepherd will not ask
us to go where He will not lead us (Josh 1:1-7; Psalm 23; John
10:1-18).You can trustHim: “Oh yes, you can! Thousands have.”
For Discussion:How can you develop stronger faithmuscles this year? How
can you start by “getting your feet wet” for Christ today?
Family Activity:Make a sign that reads “O yes, you can! Thousands have,”
and discuss its implication for faithfully following God (cf. 1 Peter 5:9).
