For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as the LORD your God did the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over. This is so that all the people of the earth may know that the LORD’s hand is mighty, and so that you may always fear the LORD your God.
Joshua 2:23-24 HCSB

In our Scripture passage, Joshua is addressing the Israelites. They have set up a monument of stones as a reminder of this crossing. Most of us know the story of the Red Sea. We know that when the Israelites were led out of Egypt after all those years of slavery that Pharaoh changed his mind, gathered his army and pursued them. When they found themselves between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea, they cried out and God parted the Red Sea so that they could cross on dry ground. As Pharaoh’s army came in after them, God drowned Pharaoh and all his men, horses, and chariots in the Sea (Exodus 14).

But many of us fail to remember that God did it for them again 40 years later. When we get to this Scripture passage in Joshua, the generation that had left Egypt had died and would not be crossing over into the Promised Land. They had disobeyed God through grumbling, complaining, and idolatry and died before reaching the Promised Land. This is a new generation and Joshua is reminding them of what God did for their ancestors by parting the Red Sea. He is reminding them that this same God caused the Jordan river to stop flowing, dry up and stand still so that they could cross on dry land.

Throughout the Bible God performs many miracles. He helps a young shepherd boy to kill a giant with a sling shot. He allows Daniel to spend the night in a Lion’s Den unharmed. He walks through the fire with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego so they come out not even smelling of smoke. This is just a few of God’s miraculous works that we see in the Old Testament. Then in the New Testament, He sends His Son, Jesus. He sent Him to show us how to live and navigate through day to day life. He sent Him to teach us through His words. He sent Him as a sacrifice for our sins. He gives us an opportunity to accept Him as our Savior and serve the same God that brought the Israelites out of slavery from Egypt into the Promised Land.

This is that very same God and He will do the same for you. If you are trapped in the bondage of slavery, He can set you free. If you are standing before a sea with your enemy bearing down on you, He will part that sea for you. He will destroy your enemy. If you are standing before a river that is overflowing and need to get across, He will stop its flow and allow you to walk through on dry ground. If your enemy should throw you into a burning furnace, He will walk through the fire with you. Isaiah 43:2 says, “I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.”

If you feel as though you are drowning in the waters of life, cry out to Him, He can save you. If you feel like the flames are burning you alive, cry out to Him, He can save you. He’s waiting with open arms. This is the God I serve. He is the same God that created the universe. He is the same God that parted those waters and the same God that saved a wretched sinner like me. He can do the same for you, if you will only trust in Him.

God is a loving God and He wants to be there for you. He will not force His way into your life. You must come to Him. You must draw near to Him and trust in His Son as your Savior.

But I must warn you, the God I serve is also a God of justice. Romans 1:18-25 tells us that there will come a time when it is too late. If we reject God, there will come a time when He will give us over to evil. Don’t let that happen to you. Trust in Him today.

Have a great day!