Running Ahead of God

“Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing.” Joshua 3:15b

The Miller family was on their annual girl’s weekend trip with all of our children many year’s ago. One of our favorite places where we always went was Broadway at the Beach. In addition to great restaurants and shopping, a “mini amusement park” resides on the edge of the area inviting children to enjoy various rides. My niece, Allie couldn’t wait to get to the rides and was hardly able to contain her enthusiasm in the car. Hand in hand we were walking through the parking lot when she caught a glimpse of the merry-go-round and took off running through the parking lot in hopes of getting her promised prize. As she ran towards the crossing we frightfully noticed that a car was coming and took off running and screaming towards her to stop. Thankfully, we caught up with her before she reached the car’s path.

We are similar in action when we catch a glimpse of something for which God has promised. We have the same tendency to break loose of His hand and run up ahead to attain what we believe is ours. The promise is real and He intends on fulfilling it but the timing is everything!

The ark of the covenant was the symbol of where God resided and the vessel for which He guided the Israelites. The Israelites knew that the ark must lead and they must follow. As the priests carried the ark, it was the first step required in their journey towards the promised land. They could see the prize up ahead but had anyone jumped ahead of the ark they would have been swallowed up in the raging waters.

We are to be the same way in our pursuit of the promised land. We must not run ahead of God in an effort to seize what we believe is ours, and at the moment we believe is right. We must keep our eyes on the ark instead of the prize. God is well aware of what He has promised us and has the knowledge of the best way for which He intends on fulfilling that promise – trust in not only His faithfulness to deliver but also His timing.

Don’t focus on merry-go-rounds but focus on the One who holds our hands and leads us to our prize!