A river in flood is powerful and daunting; to cross safely is risky and requires good local knowledge. According to the bible, as the leadership of Moses gave way to that of Joshua one of the new leaders first tasks was to get the people across the Jordan into Canaan, their ‘Promised Land.’ The vision was of a land flowing with milk and honey, but first, the river flowing in full flood was the challenge. God quickly proved Joshua’s leadership skills by giving him the local knowledge he needed to bring about a safe crossing.
That is a significant simplification of the story but at its heart is what immediately confirmed Joshua’s suitability as Moses’s successor – trust in God that led to sound judgement and decision making.
The declining church is constantly bemoaning the drift away of people who no longer seem concerned by the values the church espouses. The growing church is vibrant and attractive to people who seek solid core values in a difficult world and unyielding principles that withstand storms.
The church must be welcoming and accommodating, it must love all comers, but it must define values that some comers do not have but may aspire to. The Israelites had a clear goal; to reach Canaan. They had made some big mistakes along the way but overcoming setbacks was part of the journey and having to be warned off from self-harming was also part of the story – an episode of ‘trying something else when God seemed distant.’ They made a golden calf which almost destroyed their relationship with the real God.
But they made the journey in the end and crossed safely into Canaan.
One of the great Welsh hymns has imagery rooted in this incident, and in the other crossings of the Jordan that are part of the Old Testament narrative. It is also an image that helps people needing to traverse difficult territory in life as well as those making the final journey from mortal to eternal life.
A growing church never loses sight of the Promised Land as an aspiration; a declining church is content to love everyone for what they are on this side without striving to cross.
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah is much more than a good sing, although Cwm Rhondda is a good sing, this is a prayer for food, strength, and guidance in all the phases of life culminating in the final big crossing.
A Prayer
Eternal God, you busy yourself with caring for our needs today, planning for our needs tomorrow and our eternal rest in you. May we never forget to praise you when death of death, and hell’s destruction land us safe on Canaan’s side. Amen.
See Singing the Faith 465 for the words of William Williams.