CUFI’s Word of The Week – Your Deliverance Begins At a Distance

CUFI’s Word of The Week – Your Deliverance Begins At a Distance

“So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people, and when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho.”

–Joshua 3:13-16

Sometimes deliverance begins a distance away. Even when our rescue has not reached us yet, we can be confident that the Lord is working on behalf of those who wait for Him (c.f. Isaiah 64:4).

As Israel prepared to cross the Jordan River into the Promised land, a grand entry reminiscent of their devine rescue from Egypt was being prepared for them. But it started “a great distance away at Adam.” For the waters of the Jordan to part, they first had to stop flowing and rise in two great heaps on either side of the priests holding the ark of the covenant. This process had to begin twenty miles upstream before the priests ever stepped foot in the water: the water had already been cut off on either side, the flow stopping to make room for Israel to cross the river on dry land.

Thus, the triumphant entry into the Land in order to possess it happened in phases. Even though it was God’s work, he chose not to execute this victorious moment in one fell swoop; he organized it in steps.

Is there an area of your life in which you have been expecting God to act quickly and totally?  While it is certainly possible He may do so, have you considered whether He might have already begun setting your deliverance in motion, even though you can’t see it yet?