Text: Joshua 3: 1-17.

Topic: Be Prepare to cross the troubles.

Introduction
How do you understand by the word prepare? It just simply means that “to
make ready beforehand for some purpose, use or activity”. It can also say that
“to put in proper condition” in order to bring fulfilment which is ahead of us.
Our Christian life is all about the readiness to do something which we believe
through faith in God. A believer with suffering in life give the more meaning of
life through our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Because troubles sharpened us in
such a way that people blessed through our life. Meanwhile, we overcome
different kinds of suffering not because we grow in faith, not because of our
good deeds. But, with the unconditional love of God. We could come up thus
far and now we are here so, our preparation to cross the problem, troubles,
persecution is a must for the believers of God.
Immediate context
We have heard from the previous speaker about the two spies that Joshua sent to
check out the land of Jericho. When Joshua sent the spies there they met a
woman name Rehab who was being prepared by God to save the life of two
spies. And she save it the life of two spies to bring fulfillness the plan of God.
As the two spies had escaped discovery with Rehab help and now they give
their report to Joshua. The next morning Joshua called the priest together and
ordering the people to move or to be prepare when they see the ark of the
covenant move by the priest. God is going to display his miraculous work in the
presence of his people. Because God knows that their stubbornness hearts led
forget what God has done in their wilderness journey. So with the presence of
God in the form of ark Joshua command the priest to carry and set foot in the
waters of the Jordan, then the river will turn into dry ground and led them to
cross. God also promised to Joshua that He will magnify him or exalt him,
before the people of Israel so that they will know that God is with him as God
was with Moses. Joshua also told his people to listen to the word of the Lord.
Saying that their enemies that have been settled in advance in the land of
Jericho will flee from them once they learn/know that God is with the people of
Israel. Because they also know that God will always fight for his people and
God protect them from the hand of enemies.
1. God put trouble to learn his miracles in life.
God never put trouble in our life to destroyed us but he put troubles to let us
know his miraculous work and also to feel his presence in the midst of our
problem. As we see fromthis very passage that when the people of Israel were
about to cross the Jordan River. They were camped beside the river to let the
people see about the hugeness of river. Crossing a Jordan River is a must for the
people of Israel to reach the promised land no matter of how big, how deep the
river was. It was already a plan of God to let them cross the river. So that he can
to display his miracles to let the people eye witness again that He is a living
God and forgiving God. Many a time’s people of Israel break the covenant that
they have made between God in Mount Sinai. But, God always response back
with the miracles in order to let them realized their weakness.
So, Joshua commands them to follow the “Ark of the Covenant”. This ark in
the midst of Israel people symbolized that God’s very present (Ex 25: 16-21).
Though the people of Israel disobey him by worshiping idols God never stop
doing good things for his people because God has chosen out the people of
Israel from every nation to spread the good news of what God has done in their
life.
Friends everyone we have our own problem or trouble that we are facing today.
no matter how big, how hugeness, or how large Let us hope and believe that
God will always help us out if we really come back to him. As we can see
clearly from the book of 1 Corinthian 10:13. God never give us things or burden
which we cannot handle. Because he knows very well of who we are and how
unstable we are in our belief, faith, action, way of living and so on.
2. Preparing ourselves with wholeheartedly to God.
In this very phrase Joshua is reminding to all the people of Israel to
“consecrate” themselves before they steps inn into the river. The words
consecrate is from the Hebrew word it means “to prepare, to dedicate, to be
holy, to be separate or set apart”. God was telling his people that if they were
going to cross the uncrossable and follow the will of the Lord, then they must
set apart to him. They must be holy. Because, one of the primary reason why
they need to dedicate again or asking to set apart is because of their sin that they
blocked themselves to meet God or to reach the Promised Land. Their sins have
made him (hide) his face from the people of Israel, and also their unnumbered
wrongdoers have built barriers between God and them.
So, this is the reason that they are asked to Re-dedicate their life to God by
obeying his commandment. Then they will be secure in the land of Canaan that
God has set apart for his chosen people. As we see from the book of Isaiah
(59:1 prophet Isaiah wrote that God hand is not too short to save, and his ear is
not deaf to hear). So God told to Joshua, to command towards the people of
Israel so that they can prepare for their entering to the Promised Land.
So, today this very phrase is reminding us once again that we need to re-
dedicate our life unto God. We need to be set apart our life from the old habit
into a new being. We need to be always prepared fully with the words of God
being a chosen out people. Sometimes Specially we trainer we proclaim, we
correct others but without our positive deeds, we praise God with only our lips
but without our dedicate heart. We love people but without action. Therefore,
no matter we are trainers or any officials that they are possess we always need
to cleanse ourselves with our meditation, so, that we will be always pleasing
aroma towards God and towards people.
3. Be not a troublers to others.
From this given chapter we could see that, the people of Israelites were stood in
troubles before, Canaanites, Hittites, Havites and scary Jordan River. During
those days people were very popular practices of child sacrifice, idols
worshippers and a belief of sacrifice things to their gods and goddess. As they
practice their own wish their hearts were far away from God, they live their life
in a very wicked way that is really unpleasing God. So, God pronounce that He
will remove these tribes from the land of Canaanite as they give troubles to the
people of Israel.
An also one troubles which we can see is a scary Jordan River. We know that
because of this Jordan River people of Israelites delayed their days besides the
Jordan River. Because they cannot cross without any miracles works from God.
it is one of the biggest trouble for them to cross out. at the mean time there
Joshua command them to selected out twelve leaders from each tribe so that
according to their tribe they could be able to take care of them for such a huge
numbers of people. And also because of this river Joshua command to the
priesthood to take trouble in carrying the ark for the sake of people. so, that
through the priest service of carrying the ark people will see and know that God
presence is with them wherever they Go.
Dear believer God never give troubles in our life unless we make mistakes, we
create troubles by ourselves that effect us down, our society and near dear ones.
Troubling other will never and ever help us in strengthening our faith. But it
makes us disabled ourselves in our mentally, spiritually as well as in physically.
while our life will be govern by this worldly pleasure and buried alive in the pit
of temptation like the rivers and the tribes in the land of Canaanites disturb the
people of Israelites, let us not gives troubles in other life just because of our
unfaithful, uncommitted, dishonest and so on. But a problem solver like Joshua
who was using by God as his instrument to led the people of Israelites in order
to bring to promised land that God had promised for them.
Implication
Dear believer, sometimes even we trainers who knows very well verse about
bible also used to have question in us that is I am doing my best, I prayed, I
obeyed and so on but why m I suffering? This question really struck us time to
time in our life but, when we think deep down with the words of God. then we
could see our whole that leak out the water or problem that we are facing today.
It is not because of God punishment but, we ourselves gives trouble in our day
to day life. No matter how you pray ten times in a day, obeyed parent for the
rest of your whole life if you lack in one part which is ought to do by believers
of God.
We will always give suffering in our life. We can see the example of rich man,
and a prayer of Pharisee and a tax collector. Friends no matter of how much
degree you hold today if our hearts is not in the wills of God we will be always
in trouble. God never see the outer appearance of what we did in the presence of
people. We believers our good works without prayerful life will never bring
peace into our life instead we will be in trouble as we merely acts.
Let us not forget to re-dedicate again our life, we know that the more we close
to God we close to the human heart. No matter we are poor, uneducated
untalented in the sight of God. dedicated life give more brighter and strength to
go forward and set apart from the worldly pleasure. Because, they are always
getting prepare to face the unnumbered storm of Life like Joshua.
Dear believer today as we ponder together this very given passage of mine
let us reflect in our life with one question that is we a problem creator or a
problem solver?
It just come in my mind that we trainer were the most problem out of 100 only
little percent were faithfully working and solving in any matter of problem.
Why I said problem creator means we studied his word but never fill and stick
in God’s word, we cannot set exemplary life towards our friends instead we
involve with them, We may act outwardly with so many good works like the
glory of Canaanites, Hittites that was consider as second and third millennium
today. But, there is nothing that which we can hide from the face of God. it will
reveal one day or the another day even the one who is living in the will of God
will also reveal one day because they can no more hide the beauty of God in
their life for themselves. But, we will see the light in them.
Therefore, as we stay here in campus with the care of so many professor in our
life to correct and lead us let us learn from them as they overcome the troubles
or problem in their theological studies like which we face today. Let us also
follow prepare the way how they prepare in their studies and coming up as one
profession in our college in order to become a Godly women and men, and their
commitment towards God Let us also applied in our life so, that we will be
always find easy to cross the troubled or problem with the words of God.