Hi how are you all? I haven’t written for a few weeks as I have been on holiday in Japan. It was lovely and relaxing. Whilst I was on the cruise ship, I purchased a painting. That painting has a bridge in it. As I was talking to the lady about it, she said that the painting would remind me that at times I need to cross the bridge. That phrase resounded within me. It is time to cross the bridge.
What does that even mean? There is a story in the Old Testament that might help us. It is found in Deuteronomy 34 and Joshua 1. The Israelites were just about to go into the promised land. They had travelled for forty years in the wilderness and now it was time to take that next step. The chapters mentioned above are the transition chapters for this story. In Deuteronomy 34, God allowed Moses to see the promised land from a mountain and then Moses died. The Israelites were on the brink of their next step and their leader is dead. What a shock!
But in Joshua 1, we see God has a plan. He has already called Joshua as their new leader. God basically says to Joshua, Moses is dead so now it is time to cross into the promised land. New leader, new season.
Some of you today may be at the edge of something new. You are standing on one side of the bridge. Looking back, you can see the wilderness but also the provision of God. As you get ready to step forward, all you can see, aside from the good land or promises from God, is the fact that faith will be required and wars will lead to possession. But God is saying to you today, the other side of the bridge – the wilderness has prepared you for what’s up ahead. You have everything you need to walk in faith and conquer what’s over the bridge. Once you have conquered, you can then possess the promises I have for you.
It may be a new opportunity in business God is calling you to, it may be a new city or a new adventure in Him. But it is time to cross the bridge and trust God.
God never left the Israelites to fight the battles in the promised land alone. God gave them strategies and direction and as long as they were obedient, they were victorious.
God will never leave you. He is with you before you cross the bridge, whilst you are crossing the bridge and on the other side of the bridge.
So what are you waiting for, let’s go. You can do it. I believe in you and so does God.
Have an amazing day and keep living the life God intended for you.
Bless you
Karen
Amen. The wilderness turns us from fearful slaves into a fighting force. Oh what battles the wilderness brings to train us. But the Promised Land lies ahead for those that have been prepared by the desolation of the wilderness. The training is tough but He prepares us well for what lies beyond.
Truthfully there were times I thought we would not survive and yet here we are. He alone gets the credit for that one. We know He is with us and has never left us. This new season, and new place, is different than what we have experienced before. Like entering the wilderness it is an adjustment. In many ways it feels like starting a new school year. Even though the scenery looks the same on the other side of the Jordan there is something different here. Something we have not seen before. God is definitely up to something new.
We are ready to cross that bridge. Thank you.
Homer Les and Wanda Ring
http://www.homerlesandwandaring.com
Thank you for your kind comments. I wish you all the best.