Is It Faith Or Trust?

 

Is it faith you need, or is it trust?

 

Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: When you reach the banks  of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.

Joshua 3:8

As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of the water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.

Joshua 3:13b

 

The Israelites are standing on the bank of the Jordan River, ready to finally cross into the land that God had promised to them. What a glorious day!

 

Except for the fact that it was harvest season, which meant that the river was at flood stages, water raging downstream, overflowing its banks.

 

God said that the priests with the Ark should just step into the water and it would stop. 

So who wants to go first?

 

They had heard the stories of the Red Sea, probably from their parents. They knew that God had done it before. But could they really believe that it would happen for them when they were face to face with a raging river?

 

The Bible is full of stories of God’s faithfulness. We have heard stories from family and friends about how He has come through for them. But when we are faced with a raging river how willing are we to step in and trust the promise? Do I really believe it can happen for me? That I could be worthy of a miracle? That His promises were meant for me too?

 

This is where we learn that trust is much more, and much harder, than faith.

 

Faith tells me that there is a promise, that it is right there on the other side of the river, and even that Jesus will lead me to it.

Trust means that I have to step off the bank and into the water. Trust is faith + obedience. Trust is faith in action.

 

With the river at flood stages, they probably couldn’t even see clearly across to the other side. Without a miracle even one step into that current could sweep them away. But they had to step in to see the promise fulfilled, to see the miracle, to see God move, to see clearly across the river.

 

There is often action required of us before we can even see clearly, while the waters are still raging, while it still feels impossible, dangerous, like everything we hold dear will be swept away. 

 

I know that I’m eventually going to have to get across that raging river, to get to my promise. But I’m standing here holding all the baggage that life has piled on my back – the things I’ve been carrying around for years, but afraid to put down. It’s more believable that I’ll sink straight to the bottom.

 

Maybe I could try to figure out my own plan of how to get to the other side without getting wet. Maybe find a better route, or wait for a better time.

 

But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, the water above that point began backing up.

Joshua 3:15b-16a

 

He did it again, just like He said He would.

Sometimes one step of obedience is what triggers a miracle.

 

Imagine stepping off that bank, expecting to be swept away, or maybe sink under the weight of the baggage you’re carrying, and finding dry ground under your feet. 

 

And then imagine seeing Jesus standing there waiting to walk you across to the other side.

 

On the way across Jesus asks you to hand Him one of your bags. You don’t really want to hand it over, it’s embarrassing to even admit you still have it, but He holds out His hand and says, “Trust me.”

 

So you hand one over, lower your head, and wait for the lecture. 

 

Jesus takes that bag and lays it down on the riverbed without a word – no shame, no guilt, no “I told you so”, just love and grace. 

 

You hand Him another one and He does the same thing. It’s starting to get easier to walk so you keep handing Him your bags as you see how He is lightening your load – trusting Him more and more as you see how good and faithful He is, that He really does just want you to trust Him.

 

By the time you get to the other side you can stand up taller, walk more easily, and see the beauty of the Promised Land…of YOUR promise.

 

This is my story. A journey across the riverbed, handing my baggage to Jesus one bag at a time, as He leads me toward my promise.

 

There is a promise, a purpose, a plan waiting for you too.

 

I know right now it may look like a raging river, impossible to cross. But take that first step toward Jesus. He will lead you to dry ground. And then start handing over what you weren’t meant to carry. 

 

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”   Matthew 11:28