10/14 - Joshua 3:15-17 - What is Your Next Step?

¹⁵ when … the feet of the priests

bearing the ark were dipped

in the edge of the water,

¹⁶ the waters flowing from above

stood still, rising up in a single …

¹⁷ While all Israel were crossing

over on dry ground, the priests who

bore the ark of the covenant … stood

on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan

Joshua 3

 

If the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, then the Israelites first step into the Promised Land was a doozy! They had to step into a literal flood before the Lord would begin to cut off the waters.

 

Our sign for today represents the first step – mile maker one on a long journey. A state may be four hundred miles across, but the journey begins with mile one … then mile two … then mile three.

 

In a car, the journey across Texas is minute by minute and mile-after-mile. In life, our journey usually day-by-day and step-after-step-after-step.

 

Once upon a time, my wife learned “the small step approach.” She learned it in a counseling class: “When a problem seems daunting, encourage your client to take it one little step at a time.” She was told, “Ask them, ‘What is the first step?’ Then when they come back next week, ask them, 1) if they did it … and ask them, 2) what their next step is for next week?”

 

It works in counseling. Sure, we all want to start one second and reach the finish line simultaneously. But that’s not how a journey works. Nevertheless, my wife was amazed that after working with a person for a year – 52 weekly steps – how far they could go.

 

It was amazing. She’d use it on our boys …

 

“I know cleaning your room seems overwhelming” – and these were the rooms of slovenly boys, they were overwhelming – “but let’s do it step-by-step. Put all your clothes in the clothes hamper, then come back and I’ll give you another job.”

 

“I know writing this research paper seems overwhelming, but let’s do it step-by-step. You’re supposed to write about our first President. Go read the article on George Washington in the encyclopedia, then come back and I’ll help suggest the next step.”

 

The Small Step Approach!

 

You’re reading devotions on freedom. Why? Because you want to be free from something. Now, the desire is to start one second … and reach the finish line simultaneously! You’re impatient. I know! You just want to be rid of this burden. But – no – that’s not how a journey works.

 

Freedom is step-by-step, day-by-day, week-by-week, effort-by-effort. But it’s manageable. It’s one step at a time.

 

What do you want to be free from?

 

And what is the first step?

 

(Note: If you don’t know what your first step is, then your first step is finding an accountability partner, who can help you see the next step … even when you can’t.)

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who started

walking as a baby.

(My steps were small and

tentative. Now they’re

long and confident.

May that be your

journey to freedom.)

 

 

 

, commitment-by-commitment. But it works. They

 

 

 

 

a mile marker. It may be four hundred miles through a state, but your journey begins with mile marker one – step one.