Taking Ground | Week 3
Day 4
“As soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing.” - Joshua 3:15–16
The moment had finally come. The people of Israel were standing at the edge of the Jordan River, facing the one obstacle still separating them from the Promised Land. For three days, they had camped there, watching the water rush by. They could hear the roar of it day and night, reminding them how impossible this moment seemed.
Then Joshua gave the order. The priests carrying the ark — the very symbol of God’s presence — were to step into the river first. No bridge. No boat. Just faith.
Can you imagine that first step? The river was still flowing fast, still deep from the spring rains. The priests had to walk forward carrying the weight of the ark on their shoulders, eyes fixed on God’s command, not on the current. They didn’t wait for the waters to calm. They didn’t wait until they felt ready. They stepped in — and as soon as their feet touched the water’s edge, something miraculous happened.
The river stopped.
The current that had been unstoppable suddenly piled up far upstream, leaving dry ground beneath their feet. The people behind them watched in awe as a pathway appeared where moments before there had only been chaos.
That’s how faith works. God moves when we move. The miracle doesn’t begin until obedience takes its first step.
Faith is not a leap; it’s a step. We often talk about “leaps of faith” — bold, daring moments where everything changes. But for most of us, faith is quieter than that. It’s one foot in front of the other. It’s showing up when you don’t feel ready. It’s trusting that God will meet you somewhere between the edge of your obedience and the middle of your uncertainty.
If the priests had waited until the river looked crossable, they’d still be standing on the shore.
Sometimes we’re waiting for God to part the waters, and He’s waiting for us to put our feet in. Faith always begins at the water’s edge.
Think about what that looks like in your life. Maybe there’s something God has been nudging you to do — a step you’ve delayed because it doesn’t feel like the “right time.” Maybe you’ve been praying for a miracle, but God is whispering, “Start with what you can do, and I’ll do what only I can do.”
That’s the pattern of Scripture. God told Moses to stretch out his staff before He split the Red Sea. He told the widow to pour out oil before the jars were filled. He told Peter to cast his net before the fish appeared. He told the priests to step into the Jordan before the waters stopped.
In each case, the act of faith came first, and the evidence followed.
There’s a quiet courage in obedience that few people see. It’s the courage of the one who gives even when money is tight, who forgives when it still hurts, who prays again after disappointment, who keeps walking when nothing seems to change. Every one of those steps is a footprint of faith — a mark that says, “God, I trust You more than what I see.”
Sometimes those steps don’t look impressive in the moment. But every footprint of faith you leave behind becomes a path for someone else to follow. The priests’ obedience created a way for millions of others to cross safely. That’s what faith does — it builds bridges for the next person.
Your story of trust might be the testimony someone else needs. Your simple obedience might be the evidence of God’s faithfulness that gives another person courage to move. You never know who’s watching you take that first step, quietly believing that if God can be faithful to you, He can be faithful to them too.
Faith leaves a legacy.
When Israel crossed over, God told them to gather twelve stones from the middle of the river — one for each tribe — as a memorial of what He had done. Those stones were meant to remind future generations that the miracle started with a step.
We all need those reminders. When the next challenge comes, look back at your footprints. Remember what God did the last time you trusted Him. He hasn’t changed. The river may look different, but His power hasn’t diminished.
Maybe today, the invitation is simple: take your next small step. The one that looks insignificant, but that heaven recognizes as faith. Because if you’ll treat small things like they’re big things, God will do big things like they’re small things.
Faith isn’t loud. It’s steady. It’s not built on emotion; it’s built on endurance. It’s the quiet confidence that even if you’ve never been this way before, God knows the way perfectly.
So stand at the edge of your Jordan, breathe deep, and take that step. Your feet might get wet, but your faith will grow. And when you look back later, you’ll see the path God created — a trail of footprints that tell the story of His power and your trust.
