“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” -- Romans 8.26
A few years ago, I had the privilege of traveling on a 14-day trip through Israel. For those of you who have had similar travels, you likely know the experience of seeing the ancient walls of the temple, the Roman aqueduct in Caesarea, and the remaining catapult ammunition left at Masada. I would encourage you to consider a tour of Israel as a way of growing in your understanding of God’s Word and of the times and locations in which He spoke.
For most of my trip I was adequately overwhelmed with my experience. However, there was one moment when I was very underwhelmed. In Job 40.23, the text references the turbulent river Jordan that rushes against one’s mouth! In Joshua 3 the priests carried the ark down into the Jordan River, and the soles of the Israelites passed over on dry ground. There is even a hymn written by Samuel Stennett entitled On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand. I was very excited to see that raging river on my tour through Israel. Unfortunately, on my visit, most of the “stormy banks” of the Jordan River could have been skipped over by my youngest child.
As I looked down on the greenish water of this fairly docile stream, I began to wonder if it was any larger or more dangerous when the Israelites arrived in Canaan. Could it have been that over time the arid climate had dried out such a raging river, or maybe I was missing the challenging point of Joshua 3? As an aside, I did find out that in modern times the river has been dried up for various reasons including some political ones. However, I also was missing the point of Joshua 3 which is that God’s presence goes before His people. Even as the Lord dried up the water, great or small, we know that He protects and secures us in our inabilities.
The Israelites were heading into the promised land of Canaan. Their arrival with dry feet could only happen by the Lord’s mighty feat. The Lord secures His promises for His people. The Apostle Paul tells us that we are jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. In the great or small troubles of the day, when we are afflicted in every way, we are not crushed. When we are perplexed, we are also not driven to despair. When we are persecuted, we are not forsaken. And when we are struck down, we are not destroyed. How can this be? Because the Lord who knows our weakness goes before us.
