過河的考驗
約書亞記三章9至17節
9約書亞對以色列人說：你們近前來，聽耶和華─你們神的話。
10約書亞說：看哪，普天下主的約櫃必在你們前頭過去，到約但河裡，因此你們就知道在你們中間有永生神；並且他必在你們面前趕出迦南人、赫人、希未人、比利洗人、革迦撒人、亞摩利人、耶布斯人。
11a-12你們現在要從以色列支派中揀選十二個人，每支派一人，
13等到抬普天下主耶和華約櫃的祭司把腳站在約但河水裡，約但河的水，就是從上往下流的水，必然斷絕，立起成壘。
14百姓離開帳棚要過約但河的時候，抬約櫃的祭司乃在百姓的前頭。
15他們到了約但河，腳一入水（原來約但河水在收割的日子漲過兩岸），
16那從上往下流的水便在極遠之地、撒拉但旁的亞當城那裡停住，立起成壘；那往亞拉巴的海，就是鹽海，下流的水全然斷絕。於是百姓在耶利哥的對面過去了。
17抬耶和華約櫃的祭司在約但河中的乾地上站定，以色列眾人都從乾地上過去，直到國民盡都過了約但河。
信息分享
今天，我們將看見聽命和自潔所帶來的結果。當神的百姓立志聽從神，並將自己完全交在神的手中，那麼，要他們憑著信心與神同行，根本就不是問題。
在出發以先，約書亞對眾民所講的一番說話，給他們無比的激勵，因為他提醒百姓緊記：
神與你們同在，祂是你們神。(9節)
你們的神是永生的神。(10節)
你們的神是掌管萬有的主。(11節)
正當百姓被一條漲滿的河擋著前路之際，約書亞的這番說話，給他們帶來何等的激勵呢！難道一條河就能阻礙神，使他們無法前進？不。那麼，神究竟吩咐他們怎樣過河呢？神竟然吩咐他們跟隨著約櫃，走進河裡，從河的中間走過對岸！
你可以想像當時的情景嗎？當祭司踏出信心的第一步，走到漲溢的河裡，河水就在他們面前分開。他們原先不知道神要怎樣做；他們也不曉得祂如何分開河水；他們只知道憑著信心踏進河裡，神就會成就祂的應許。
神用祂那雙無形的手把河手分開，使足有三十哩長的河水立起成壘，讓以色列民在河床走過。祭司一直站在河床中間，直至眾民都過了河。最後，當祭司也走到對岸立定之後，神便放手，河水便再次湧流不息。
我們不明白神如何行這神蹟，但是，如果你今天有類似的經歷，神在困難和絕望中為你開路，你就知道這是神所行的神蹟奇事了。記著：不管你的人生道路遇到多大的障礙，神的能力始終勝過一切，祂必可幫助你越過障礙。
問題是在於，你是否已經自潔，並立志聽從祂，然後願意踏出信心的一步？你只管憑著信心做好你的本分，神自會成就祂的應許。
HOW TO CROSS A FLOODED RIVER
Joshua 3:9-17
9 So Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God.”
10 And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites:
11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan.
12 Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe.
13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.”
14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people,
15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest),
16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
17 Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.
Message
Today we see the results of obedience and consecration. When God's people are obedient, when they have given themselves entirely to God, then walking by faith is not a problem.
What did Joshua say to them as they stepped forward? Here are words of tremendous encouragement.
- God is with you and he is your God, v. 9.
- Your God is alive, v.10.
- Your God is Lord over all, v.11.
What wonderful words of reassurance as they faced the flooded river. Would one river stop their God - or them? Never. What did God tell them to do? They were to follow the Ark into the river and go across to the other side.
Can you imagine it all? When the priests took the first step of faith into the flooded river, the water began to open up in front of them. They had not known what God would do. They did not know how he divided the river. They simply stepped out in faith. God did the rest.
God's invisible hand held the water back until a body of water 30 miles long was damned up and the ground was dry for the Children of Israel to walk on through. The priests stood at the foot of the great body of water until everyone had passed over. When they walked out of the riverbed God took his hand away and the water flowed again.
We don't understand how all this took place. But if a way has to open up for you just now, remember God can do it. No matter how big the obstacle in your way may seems, God is greater.
Is he waiting for you? For your obedience, for your consecration, for your step of faith? You do your part in faith and God will do this.