When Joshua took that final step across the Jordan River, it was more than just the crossing of a dry riverbed. It was the closing of a chapter in Israel’s history. The moment he put his feet on the other side, something changed in the mindset of this new generation of Israelites. Land and inheritances were before them; battles loomed large as the enemy awaited. The promise was about to unfold and the Lord was going to make His name great.
Jordan’s crossing was a realization a of new day; a watershed moment in all of their lives. In fact, it was at this point they could accurately say, “we’ve come too far to turn back now.” Prior to the Jordan, the children of Israel reminisced about the land of Egypt. They remembered things that never took place. They made statements about returning to their place of bondage, “…at least we had bread.” However, crossing the Jordan erased those words and the people who made them. Joshua had led them into a new era and Egypt was further away than ever before.
There comes a time when you cross a line of demarcation wherein you are closer to the finish than you are to the beginning. Paul wrote it like this: Romans 13:11 “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.”
We have experienced too many miracles to doubt the power of the Lord. We have seen too many wonders to question the work of His Spirit. We have witnessed His love and mercy too much to doubt His heart. Simply put, God has been too good for too long when we did not deserve it for us to change our minds. Surely we have passed the point of no return!
Jesus offers this reply to all those who have been called to the Kingdom: Luke 9:62 “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
The Kingdom is the primary and His Great Commission is our purpose. We have crossed the Jordan of our lives; found His name to be the only name (Acts 4:12); and have been born again of the water and the Spirit (John 3:1-8). We are closer than ever which makes it incumbent upon us to move forward with a greater commitment and a deeper consecration. We are the people of God and we’ve come too far to turn back now!
Pastor Jeffrey Harpole