明天神必在我們中間
約書亞記三章1至8節
1約書亞清早起來，和以色列眾人都離開什亭，來到約但河，就住在那裡，等候過河。
2過了三天，官長走遍營中，
3吩咐百姓說：你們看見耶和華─你們神的約櫃，又見祭司利未人抬著，就要離開所住的地方，跟著約櫃去。
4只是你們和約櫃相離要量二千肘，不可與約櫃相近，使你們知道所當走的路，因為這條路你們向來沒有走過。
5約書亞吩咐百姓說：你們要自潔，因為明天耶和華必在你們中間行奇事。
6約書亞又吩咐祭司說：你們抬起約櫃，在百姓前頭過去。於是他們抬起約櫃，在百姓前頭走。
7耶和華對約書亞說：從今日起，我必使你在以色列眾人眼前尊大，使他們知道我怎樣與摩西同在，也必照樣與你同在。
8你要吩咐抬約櫃的祭司說：你們到了約但河的水邊上，就要在約但河水裡站住。
信息分享
當人緊握神的應許去面對將來，總會覺得前景是一片光明的。同時，當我們成為神的兒女之後，也會更有信心去瞻望未來。第5節是一個非常寶貴的應許，可是，卻不要忽略它帶著一個明確的條件限制：「你們要自潔，明天神必在你們中間行奇事。」
你有沒有發覺，當神的百姓快將進入應許地的時候，神改變了祂的帶領方式？在過去的整整40年，神一直是日間用雲柱，夜間用火柱來帶領他們，他們只要跟著雲柱或火柱移動或停留就行了。
如今，神的約櫃在前面引領他們。約櫃象徵神住在他們中間。單是在本章，提及約櫃的經文已不下十次。
我們因此看見，當百姓正要面對一個新的人生體驗和機會之際，神就會用新的方法來帶領他們。神並非一成不變，永遠用同一種方法來向我們顯明祂的心意。我們在使徒行傳發現神至少用了五種不同的方式來帶領保羅。但歸根究底，神的應許是確定的：祂必帶領祂的百姓。無論我們要往哪裡，要開創甚麼機遇，神必會在前面引領我們，我們只要跟隨祂就行了。
我們的責任是要信從祂的帶領。但許多時候，我們並沒有專心信靠神的帶領，反而急不及待地提議許多方法，好像要教神如何帶領我們一樣。
最後，我們還要留意一個重點：抬約櫃的人，要走在前端，百姓要在後面跟隨，兩者要相距約一哩。為甚麼要作出這種安排呢？原因有二：一是要讓百姓深刻地記著，神是聖潔的。其二，是要讓每個人都看清楚約櫃的帶領。當百姓看見約櫃向前移動，他們便在後面跟隨著向前走，所有人的步伐便能夠一致。我們今天的教會也該一樣──所有信徒都仰視著在前頭帶領的十字架，以整齊的步伐在後面跟隨。當我們都能如此跟從主的帶領，齊心邁步向前，必能到達目的地。
反思：
「我要教導你，指示你當行的路；我要定睛在你身上勸戒你。」詩篇三十二8
TOMORROW WITH GOD
Joshua 3: 1-8
1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over.
2 So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp;
3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.
4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”
5 And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
6 Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people.”So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
7 And the LORD said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
8 You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.’”
Message
The future is always bright with the promises of God. It is always better on ahead when we are his children. Verse 5 is a great promise with a clear condition, 'Consecrate yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you'.
Did you notice that there is a change in God's method of guidance for his people as they prepare to enter the Promised Land? For forty years the pillar of fire had led them. It was a cloud by day and a fire by night. They had only moved as it moved. They had stayed when it stayed.
Now it is the Ark of God which is to lead them. The Ark was also the symbol of God's presence among them. It is mentioned no less than ten times in this chapter.
Here then, for a people standing facing new experiences and a new opportunity, is a new method of guidance. God doesn't always use the same method of guidance. God doesn't always use the same method to show us his will. There are at least five ways in the book of Acts by which he led Paul. But his promise is sure. He will guide and lead his people. He will go before into every new circumstance or opportunity. He will clearly lead us as we follow him.
Our place is to trust God for guidance. Too often we tell him how to guide us, when what we need to do is to simply believe he will show us this will in his own time and way.
One further point - the Ark was to be allowed to go ahead by almost one mile. This was for two reasons. One was to impress upon the people the holiness of God. The second was so that everyone could have a clear view of the Ark. They could see it move forward and everyone would begin to move at the same time. They moved together as a whole. That is what our churches need to have - such a clear view of Christ that the whole group moves forward together. Try it and see the results.
A VERSE FOR TODAY:
'I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will guide you with my eye." Psalm 32:8