Crossing The River On Foot

CROSSING THE RIVER ON FOOT . . .

. . . a daunting task you feel; Or perhaps an impossible one. You most probably feel the same way about forgiveness. The act of forgiving I mean. Crossing the river dry shod; Forgiveness. Wondering the connection? Let’s see Exodus and Joshua on the former; then you make your connection and plans about the latter. Ex 14:21: ‘Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh drove the sea back with strong easterly wind all night and made the sea into dry land.’ So Israel crossed the Red Sea dry shod. Joshua 3:15-16: ‘As soon as the bearers of the ark reached the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark touched the waters . . . (the Jordan was divided).’ With Moses, Israel crossed the Sea and left Egypt. With Joshua, Israel crossed the Jordan, into the promised land. Freedom at last! What if Moses did not stretch his hand? What if the priests did not step into the Jordan? Would nothing have happened? Something happened because they did what God wanted. Mk 11:25: ‘And when you stand in prayer, forgive whatever you have against anybody, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your failings too.’ Forgive? After that atrocious thing he did; after those horrible words she uttered? Now, you feel that sea of animosity flowing within you; The river of vindictiveness nudging at your heart. The restless waves of the odium are keeping you in disquiet. Shouldn’t you do something? Stretch prayer over that sea. Step with supplication into that river. Let God halt the flow of that water of malice. Then, cross over, dry shod. Walk into the freedom of the children of God. But, there’s still another option. Allow the water to keep flowing; and remain in the bondage of hatred and acrimony. Feel free to choose the slavery. Ironic? Offer forgiveness then. That is what God wants you to do. Troubled you may not make it? The Israelites were also (Ex 14:10-12). But the end was different when God intervened. God has not stopped intervening. So, you can cross the River Niger on foot. Be warned however: the process can take all night, in darkness and pain; The process of allowing God to divide and halt the water. Nonetheless, the morning of your crossing dry shod, into freedom, into true peace, will come surely. That is, if you persevere.