Faith is often accompanied by uncertainty, yet it is in stepping forward that we encounter the power of God. The Israelites learned this at the Jordan River, where God performed a miracle only after they demonstrated obedience.
Standing on the banks of the river, they faced a barrier that separated them from the Promised Land. The waters were at flood stage, impossible to cross by natural means. Yet God had given them a command - to step into the water before He would act.
The moment of faith came when the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant moved forward. Scripture records that "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 3:15-16, NIV).
The river did not part ahead of time, nor did God remove the obstacle before they moved. It was only when they took that first step of faith that the waters parted.
This was a powerful demonstration of the relationship between faith and divine action. God had already determined to give them the land, but their participation in His promise required trust.
The crossing of the Jordan was not just a logistical challenge but a deeply spiritual moment. It marked the transition from wilderness wandering to the fulfilment of God’s covenant promise. The Israelites had seen God’s miraculous power at the Red Sea, but this time, He required something more of them.
Forty years earlier, their ancestors had hesitated at the edge of the Promised Land, refusing to trust that God would give them victory. As a result, they wandered in the desert until a new generation arose. Now, this generation had a choice: would they trust God before they saw His provision, or would they hesitate as their forebears had done? By stepping into the water, they demonstrated their faith, and God honoured it.
This principle runs throughout the Bible. When Jesus called Peter to walk on water, He did not calm the waves first. Peter had to leave the safety of the boat before experiencing the miracle. The man with the withered hand was told to stretch it out, and as he obeyed, his hand was healed. The ten lepers were instructed to go and show themselves to the priests, and it was as they went that they were cleansed (Luke 17:14).
In each case, faith required movement before the miracle occurred. As Hebrews reminds us, "faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1, NIV).
Faith does not wait for all conditions to be perfect; it moves forward, trusting that God will make a way.
There is also a deeper theological truth at work in this event. The Ark of the Covenant, which the priests carried into the water, represented God’s presence among His people. The fact that the priests had to step into the river while bearing the Ark symbolised that it is God’s presence that leads the way. They were not stepping into the unknown alone. In the same way, believers today are not called to take blind leaps of faith but to step forward with confidence that God is with them. Jesus’ final promise to His disciples was, "surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20, NIV). Faith is not about reckless risk-taking but about trusting in the One who has already gone before us.
This lesson is not confined to biblical history. It speaks into the challenges of everyday life.
When God calls someone into a new direction - whether in career, ministry, or relationships - the path is not always clear. Fear and uncertainty may whisper reasons to delay, but obedience must come first. Trusting God means acting before the outcome is visible. Forgiveness may need to be extended before reconciliation is assured. A difficult decision may need to be made before clarity arrives.
Stepping out in faith may feel risky, but the alternative is to remain stagnant on the riverbank, never experiencing the fullness of what God has prepared.
The Israelites at the Jordan faced a defining moment. They could have waited for the waters to part before stepping forward, but then they would have waited in vain. The miracle was always part of God’s plan, but it required faith in action.
Some of us today may stand at a similar crossroads, hesitating before an uncertain future, waiting for assurance before moving forward. Yet God often calls His people to take the first step, to trust Him before the way is made clear.
The priests at the Jordan got their feet wet, and then God moved. Perhaps He is calling you to do the same.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV).
Duncan Williams is outreach director for the Christian Free Press and has worked for Son Christian Media here in the UK and Recovery Network Radio in the United States. He is an ordained minister and a long-term member of Christians in Media. He provides content and syndicated news for regional publisher www.inyourarea.co.uk
