An image for ministry

Sometimes I think that ministry is nothing mre than creating conditions that allow God to work.

I've been studying the book of Joshua recetnly in preparation for my upcoming men's group. I find myself obesssed, maybe even somewhat haunted by an image in Joshua 3.

This is the scene in which, to an extent, Joshua becomes the leader in the eyes of the Israelites. What God did through Moses in parting the Red Sea He now does through Joshua in stopping up the Jordan River at flood stage. But before Israel can cross over the river into Canaan, the priests, who are carrying the Ark of the Covenant, must walk into the Jordan River. Then and only then will God stop up the water. The priests must stand in the middle of the river, holding the Ark while all Israel crosses by them.

It is not the priests who stop up the river. Only God can do that. But it is the faith and the work of the priests which allows God to do His work. If the priests do not go into the water, the Jordan will not stop flowing. It was not enough just to get to the edge...they must actually go in.

So here's this image of the priests standing on the riverbed, hjolding the Ark while perhaps a millin people scamper by. As pastors we do very much the same thing. We counsel, preach, teach, do outreach, evangelize and many other things. But for any change to happen in a person, for there to be any crossing over at all...God must do the work. When I think about doing pastoral work, I picture myself as one of those priests, obediently stepping in the water and not being 100% sure what will happen. But trusting that the Ark that I am carryng...the God I am following...will be at work.