Phase Two, Joshua 3:7-17, 11/5/23
Joshua 3:7-17
Rev. Rhonda Abbott Blevins
November 5, 2023
The Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with Moses. You are the one who shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’ ” Joshua then said to the Israelites, “Draw near and hear the words of the Lord your God.” Joshua said, “By this you shall know that among you is the living God who without fail will drive out from before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites: the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going to pass before you into the Jordan. So now select twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. When the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, come to rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off; they shall stand in a single heap.”
When the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests bearing the ark of the covenant were in front of the people. Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. So when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the edge of the water, the waters flowing from above stood still, rising up in a single heap far off at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, while those flowing toward the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people crossed over opposite Jericho. While all Israel were crossing over on dry ground, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan.
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Have you ever had to move? If so, didn’t you love it?
The last time I moved was six and a half years ago when my husband and I and our two boys packed up our lives and moved to Florida from Louisville, Kentucky. And it wasn’t one of those easy moves (as if that exists)—from one permanent residence to another. Rather, this was one of those long, drawn out moves that had to happen in phases:
· Out of our place in Louisville into Pods
· Then AirBnB #1
· Then AirBnB #2
· And finally into our own home
Now, I’m not complaining about our wilderness AirBnB wanderings at all. There’s something very nice about one bill only—electricity and water and internet and taxes and insurance all taken care of by the owners. But the places were small for our family of four. And neither place felt like home.
Then we entered “Phase Two” of our move:
· House hunting
· Putting in a bid and losing (six times!)
· Coming up with the down payment
· Securing a mortgage
· Closing
· Moving in
· Return of the Pods (that could be the name of a great horror flick!)
Today in our scripture text, we find the Israelites moving into “Phase Two” of their journey home—home to the “Promised Land” that God promised to their ancestor, Abraham, centuries prior.
Now, we know that no move is easy. And this move must have been the most difficult move in recorded history.
Let’s call “Phase One” of their move “The Great Escape.”
· Pharoah refusing to let them go
· Then plagues
· Then stopped in their tracks at the formidable Red Sea
· Then crossing!
· Then the “Wilderness AirBnB” for 40 years!
All of this under the leadership of Moses.
Now Moses has died. He got a peek of the “Promised Land” atop Mount Nebo, but God would not allow Moses to step foot into the land.
Enter: Joshua.
Joshua is the guy God raises up to be Moses’ successor—the leader of the Israelites during “Phase Two” of their move from Egypt to the Promised Land. The Hebrew name, Joshua, means “YHWH is salvation.” (The name, Jesus, is the Hellenized form of the same name.) Joshua’s name reflects his unwavering faith and dedication to God’s divine plan.
And it’s a good thing that Joshua was committed to God’s plan, because moving into the Promised Land wasn’t going to be easy. And it wasn’t just about setting up electric and unloading a Pod or two. Phase Two, moving in, for the Israelites means convincing the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites to move out. And let’s just say, there was no “For Sale” sign in the yard.
And before that, they would have to cross the Jordan River at its peak.
Now you might think they wouldn’t be too worried about that. They crossed the Red Sea on dry ground due to God’s mighty help. But that was 40 years ago. With the average life expectancy at that time of 30-40 years, crossing the Red Sea was something most of them had only heard about. And even for those who remembered that miracle, there was no guarantee that God would pull off another miracle for them—2.4 million or so people in need of a way to cross over a mighty, rushing river into the new life they desperately wanted to claim.
What about you? What stands between you and the new life you want to claim? What is the “mighty, rushing river” you must confront on your way to living your best life? Sometimes it’s hard to name the obstacle—your obstacle may not be as obvious as a mighty, rushing river. So here are some common obstacles—twelve to be exact. One for each tribe of Israel. As I name these twelve, listen to see if there’s one that speaks to you—one standing between you and the life you want to live.
1. Fear and self-doubt. Insecurity and fear of failure can paralyze us, preventing us from taking the necessary steps to pursue our dreams.
2. Lack of clarity. Being uncertain about our goals and priorities can make it difficult to move in the direction we need to go. Having a clear vision for what we want, what God is calling us to be and do, is essential.
3. External expectations. There are social pressures—family pressures. Those around us want us to conform to their expectations and the roles they want us to play. This can keep us from pursuing our authentic desires.
4. Financial constraints. Limited resources and financial insecurity can hinder us from taking risks and pursuing our passion.
5. Procrastination. What do we want? An end to procrastination! When do we want it? Tomorrow! Putting off important actions and decisions can keep us from our dreams.
6. Negative influences. Surrounding ourselves with unsupportive, even toxic people can erode our confidence and discourage positive change.
7. Lack of skills or knowledge. Maybe we don’t have the education or training we need to pursue our goals.
8. Health issues. Physical or mental health challenges can limit us and keep us from the life we want to live.
9. Resistance to change. We get really cozy in our comfort zones, even when staying in the comfort zone doesn’t align with our true desires.
10. Perfectionism. The pursuit of perfection can be paralyzing. It can lead to unrealistic standards and unattainable goals.
11. Past trauma. Unresolved past trauma and emotional baggage can weigh us down and hinder our growth and ability to live into our highest self.
12. Lack of support. Lots of people lack a supportive network, making it difficult to navigate challenges and setbacks.
Maybe one of these obstacles, for you, is like the Jordan River to the Israelites, or maybe it’s something else for you. Just like the Jordan—a mighty, rushing river—standing between the Israelites and their dream, there are lots of things that can stand in the way of achieving our dreams, keep us stuck in the land of Moab—the “Wilderness AirBnB.”
As for the Israelites, can you imagine the conversations among the leadership about how they’ll get from Moab to the Promised Land? How they’ll cross the Jordan?
· Maybe the civil engineers got together and drew up blueprints for a bridge unlike the world has ever seen!
· Maybe the shipwrights got together and imagined a large ferry. Move over, Noah!
· Maybe a different engineering firm set about making plans for a large dam, bigger than the Hoover!
· Maybe the geographers sought out the perfect, narrow spot for a crossing.
· Maybe the accountants performed their feasibility studies and couldn’t stop shaking their heads. “Money doesn’t grow on olive trees!” they kept saying.
· Maybe the lawyers were advising against a crossing of the river. “You’re opening yourself up to litigation!” they argued.
· Maybe the priests and pastors, having no real skills, prayed. “HELLLLLLLLPPPPPPP!”
Now, I’m not knocking the learned, skilled professions. Where would the world be without accountants and engineers and lawyers? (Don’t answer that last one ).
But there are times in life when the VERY BEST THING TO DO . . . is to pray.
And so, armed with nothing but faith, carrying the ark of the covenant, twelve priests (one from each tribe) stepped into the Jordan River.
The lawyers shook their heads and told everyone around, “I advised against this.” The accountants stood wide-eyed, counting on their abacuses. The engineers and shipwrights rolled their eyes, describing to anyone who would listen how their plan was a far better plan.
And to the amazement of 2.4 million people, the mighty, rushing waters of the Jordan River stopped flowing. The waters pooled upstream, cutting off the river. The children of Israel entered Phase Two of their epic adventure crossing, once again, on dry ground.
Phase Two, here we come!
Father Richard Rohr, in his book Falling Upward, suggests that that are two phases of life, and that, for the first time in human history, many people have the opportunity to take what he calls the “further journey” of faith.
Throughout humanity, the vast majority of people have been consumed with “Phase One” or “first-half-of-life” tasks including working, raising kids, and establishing security. With the advent of “retirement,” men and women are free from these important societal tasks and are more able to engage the deeper journey of faith . . . “Phase Two!”
Rohr counters the notion that the second half of life is about getting old and dealing with failing health. “What looks like falling,” counters Rohr, “can largely be experienced as falling upward and onward, into a broader and deeper world, where the soul has found its fullness, is finally connected to the whole, and lives inside the Big Picture.”
Phase Two sounds kind of awesome.
You know that life you want to live? That’s the “further journey.” That’s Phase Two.
This deeper life of faith is a life formerly reserved for clerics and monastics. That’s not the case anymore. Out beyond the strivings of ego, security, and upward mobility, a deeper life awaits. That’s the “Promised Land” to which God is calling you and me and anyone who will listen.
What’s keeping you from crossing over?
Maybe the obstacle in front of you isn’t as formidable as it seems. Maybe what you need isn’t a blueprint. Maybe it’s not a feasibility study. Maybe it’s not a lawyer’s approval.
Maybe what you need to step into the Promised Land that God has for you is a little bit of faith and a good pair of galoshes.
Today, we celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion. We do so not only because Jesus commands it, but because we need this reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. Think about it: Jesus could have simply left Jerusalem. He knew he was going to be arrested. He knew he would be executed. And he could have simply left. But he didn’t. But he knew that God was calling him to something profound. And so he stayed in Jerusalem. A profound act of faith.
May we muster one small act of faith this week—one step closer to the life God is calling us to live. One small step of faith, giving thanks for the profound faith exhibited by our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ. x