After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.” Joshua 3:2-4
New English Translation
In Joshua 3, we get the picture pretty early on of how to know where to go: wherever God goes, we should follow. The Israelite people were instructed to follow the Ark of the Covenant, which was the representation of God’s presence in the camp. It wasn’t just a pretty religious artifact. It was the reminder of God’s presence among them. God was training them with a visual reminder that they are always supposed to follow His lead.
Today, we don’t need the Ark of the Covenant because Jesus tore the veil in the temple, which separated the common man from coming into the presence of the Lord. Now, we are able, through Jesus, to boldly enter into the presence of God where we are. Though we don’t have the physical ark to remind us to follow God, the truth still remains that we must follow God’s lead.
Life is confusing and challenging; however, God sees all, and He understands how things are supposed to work out. When we follow Him, He’s leading us in the direction that we need to be in. He never plays tricks on us or takes us down a path that we aren’t supposed to be on. That’s the beauty of God: He always does what is best for us. However, at the end of the day, it comes down to whether we’re willing to follow.
Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” Joshua 3:5
New English Translation
Before the people ever took a step with the ark, Joshua instructed the people to make sure they were holy before God. He called for the people to examine themselves and make themselves right with the Lord before ever trying to follow. Why is this important? Well, for one thing, it’s pretty hard to follow someone when you’re too busy trying to be the leader yourself and you’re getting distracted by all the things around you.
See, when we’re not made right with God, we start thinking that we know the answers and that our ways are the right way. Yet, all we’re doing in that is getting ourselves lost and confused. It’s like when you’re on a long trip and the driver refuses to use a map because they “know where they are going.” However, after an hour, they’re more lost than ever and now have to back track to even properly follow the map.
The same is true in life. If we’re too busy following our own desires and ideas, then we’ll just keep getting ourselves more and more off the path we’re supposed to be on until we aren’t even sure where we’re headed. Once we’re finally willing to follow God, we have to “back track” in a sense. We have to start at square one of letting Him work in and through us, and then as we start following Him, He continues to help us be made right with Him.
Before the journey ever begins, we have to decide that we want to be made right, and that we want God to lead us. If we aren’t even willing to give Him control, then we’re not going to be able to see where God is leading. I’m just as bad as anyone else at this. I get ideas in my head, I believe they could be the path, but it turns out, I wasn’t even trying to follow God. However, just because we weren’t following God’s lead doesn’t mean we will never be able to follow God’s lead.
That’s the great thing about God. God is always ready to redirect us to His plan and ways. He doesn’t drop us and say, “deal with it” after a timeframe expires. He waits patiently, eagerly, and then excitedly welcomes us back into His plans. So, He never disqualified us from walking with Him, we just have to choose to walk with Him.
Here’s my question: Who are you following? Do you like to pretend you have everything figured out and follow your own plans? Or do you trust God to lead you where you need to go? Be open and honest with yourself. If you need to make yourself right with God and then start following Him, now’s the time. There is no reason to wait to do something tomorrow that can change your life today.