明天神必在我们中间
约书亚记三章1至8节
1约书亚清早起来，和以色列众人都离开什亭，来到约但河，就住在那里，等候过河。
2过了三天，官长走遍营中，
3吩咐百姓说：你们看见耶和华─你们神的约柜，又见祭司利未人擡着，就要离开所住的地方，跟着约柜去。
4只是你们和约柜相离要量二千肘，不可与约柜相近，使你们知道所当走的路，因为这条路你们向来没有走过。
5约书亚吩咐百姓说：你们要自洁，因为明天耶和华必在你们中间行奇事。
6约书亚又吩咐祭司说：你们擡起约柜，在百姓前头过去。于是他们擡起约柜，在百姓前头走。
7耶和华对约书亚说：从今日起，我必使你在以色列众人眼前尊大，使他们知道我怎样与摩西同在，也必照样与你同在。
8你要吩咐擡约柜的祭司说：你们到了约但河的水边上，就要在约但河水里站住。
信息分享
当人紧握神的应许去面对将来，总会觉得前景是一片光明的。同时，当我们成为神的儿女之后，也会更有信心去瞻望未来。第5节是一个非常宝贵的应许，可是，却不要忽略它带着一个明确的条件限制：「你们要自洁，明天神必在你们中间行奇事。」
你有没有发觉，当神的百姓快将进入应许地的时候，神改变了祂的带领方式？在过去的整整40年，神一直是日间用云柱，夜间用火柱来带领他们，他们只要跟着云柱或火柱移动或停留就行了。
如今，神的约柜在前面引领他们。约柜象征神住在他们中间。单是在本章，提及约柜的经文已不下十次。
我们因此看见，当百姓正要面对一个新的人生体验和机会之际，神就会用新的方法来带领他们。神并非一成不变，永远用同一种方法来向我们显明祂的心意。我们在使徒行传发现神至少用了五种不同的方式来带领保罗。但归根究底，神的应许是确定的：祂必带领祂的百姓。无论我们要往哪里，要开创甚么机遇，神必会在前面引领我们，我们只要跟随祂就行了。
我们的责任是要信从祂的带领。但许多时候，我们并没有专心信靠神的带领，反而急不及待地提议许多方法，好像要教神如何带领我们一样。
最后，我们还要留意一个重点：擡约柜的人，要走在前端，百姓要在后面跟随，两者要相距约一哩。为甚么要作出这种安排呢？原因有二：一是要让百姓深刻地记着，神是圣洁的。其二，是要让每个人都看清楚约柜的带领。当百姓看见约柜向前移动，他们便在后面跟随着向前走，所有人的步伐便能够一致。我们今天的教会也该一样──所有信徒都仰视着在前头带领的十字架，以整齐的步伐在后面跟随。当我们都能如此跟从主的带领，齐心迈步向前，必能到达目的地。
反思：
「我要教导你，指示你当行的路；我要定睛在你身上劝戒你。」诗篇三十二8
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