Joshua 3:11, “Behold, the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan.”

Forty years seems like a long time. I’m convinced that in this case, it seemed even longer. What should have been a short journey turned into a long trip, all because of fear and a lack of faith. Finally, the day they looked forward to when they took their first steps out of Egypt is about to be realized. In Joshua 3, Israel stands at the edge of the Jordan River. Behind them is the wilderness. Ahead of them is the land of promise. In between is a river at flood stage, impossible to cross by human strength. It is a boundary that separates where they have been from where God said they would go. What they need is something miraculous.

Notice that God does not tell the people to step into the water first. He tells the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to go ahead of them. The Ark represents the presence of God. While we often focus on the Priests’ obedience in stepping into the river, the Jordan did not part because the Priests’ feet touched the water; it parted because God’s presence entered the river.

God has always made the first move. It’s been that way from the beginning. In Genesis chapter 3, God made the first step in reconciling us to Himself. Romans 5:8 says, “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The way opens when we step forward, but God has already moved first.