A little over a year ago now, I found myself surprised with what God showed me. As soon as the brilliance of the place settled on me, I voxed and texted two friends.

“Look what I found!”

I sent these pictures.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. I kept thinking, “it feels like I am in Europe or some other far away place, not Chicagoland.”

I wasn’t sure I could find a spot to get close to the water. I wandered down the path asking myself if I was allowed to be here. What are the rules? What are the boundaries? Is this part of the Nature Preserve?

Down to the water, I was drawn like a bee to honey. I couldn’t help myself. For a moment I imagined I was back in Israel at the Sea of Galilee at the edge of the water. Rocks lined where water meets the land. Water.

Step in the water.

I remembered back to when the story of Joshua at the edge of the Jordan River captivated my heart.

“When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.” Joshua 3:8

The leaders went first. Leaders go first. The waters didn’t part until the leaders pushed their toes past the edge.

Step in the water.

Sensing God ever so close to me, as I took in his spectacular creation I said,

“What is it, God?”

God drew me to himself as his Spirit brought to remembrance scripture and past times with him.

“You already know,” he whispered to me. “I am going to give you places to stand.”

“And step.”

Eyes closed, feeling the sun on my skin as summer warmth bleeds into fall. Water lapped at my feet. Quiet tears fell down my face.

“I praise you. I praise you. I praise you,” was my only response.

Then God again, “This is where I’ve placed you. You want to be so many other places rather than here.” God knows me.

I began to sway. Music in my head. But there were no drums. There were no guitars. No voices. No keyboard.

“Your love is like the wildest ocean. Nothing else compares,” came into my head, a song by Hillsong we sing at church.

I don’t want to leave this spot.

God gently reminded again, “You need times like this. Away. To refuel. To simply be with me. Then you can go back out. Or go out for the first time.” The verse about struggling with God’s energy came to mind.

“To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” Colossians 1:29

“You gotta go. It’s ok. It’s going to be ok.”

I say, “But you are here.”

“I am here. But I am also there.”

“Now go.”

 

I hope someone can use these words. Is God prompting you to do something? Go somewhere? Listen closely. Get away with him. Be with him. If God is leading, God will give you places to stand, to step. I pray your feet touch the water. I am cheering you on.

“Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet 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. …..so the people crossed over….the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on firm ground in the middle of the Jordan…”                Joshua 3:15-17