The Potential of Wet Feet

I have been considering why I sometimes fail to act.  Especially for things I know I should do or have a passion to do.  I think it is fear of change and uncertainty.

When the Israelites came to the Jordan River, the river had flooded its banks and was too swift and deep to cross.

Sometimes decisions and opportunities seem like that…. overwhelming and impassible.

The Lord said to Joshua,

“And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” Joshua 3:8

First He told them to stand still.  I think He tells us to do that too.  Stop.  Inhale.  Exhale.

He continued,

“And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.” Joshua 3:13

 

I think it is interesting that God didn’t dry up the Jordan River until they stepped in with their feet.

I wonder if they thought about getting their feet wet.

I know I do.

Peter is often criticized for sinking and not trusting Jesus to walk on water.  But at least he got off the boat.  He took it on faith (with a wild and crazy abandon), left the security of the boat, and took that first step.  He got his feet wet.

Sometimes I think I wait too long for ‘perfect conditions’.  Or long for the security of a nice, big, bright, red neon sign lowered from the heavens with life’s directions blinking on it.

Sometimes I wait too long. Sometimes I am uncomfortable.  Discomfort brings change. Most people are unwilling to be uncomfortable.  And so they do nothing.

“This is an addictive pastime. You take no real risk, touch the world, and it responds. Repeat.”  Seth Godin

I’m curious if the Israelites thought about the water covering their feet.  Did they consider the mud and muck as they stood still?  Or rather, were they more interested in watching for the miracle?  Were they too busy waiting on His sovereignty to worry about wet feet?   I wonder.

^“and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), ¹⁶ the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. ¹⁷ Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.” Joshua 3:15-17

There is potential in wet feet.