b'Heather is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she has served at the Whosoever Gospel Mission for 27 yearsbeginning in high school as a volunteer and now as associate executive director. Shes a graduate of Cairn University, Westminster Theological Seminary, and holds a doctorate in urban mission from Biblical Theological Seminary (now Missio Seminary). Heather lives with her cat, Pickles, and loves gardening, camping, and spending time with friends and family. She can be reached at hrice@whosoevergospel.org.and dried up in Him, allowing safe crossing to we who stumble and are prone to drown. So where does this leave us as we look to move forward? Let me leave you with one more thought. Think of all the things that got carried in the Exodus story. Israel had to carry all of their worldly goods, their little ones, the lame and the fee-ble through the river and on through the journeythats quite a burden. Priestsrepresentatives of Gods So many voices are coming at uspriests before the people. This pointsmercy and living signs of the reconcil-right now. Its a cacophony of conflict- us in every way to Jesus, the One whoiation He brings to passcarried the ing noise. But God, the Wonderfulwent before us into the waters of theArk of the Covenant. Then there were Counselor, the Lord your God, isJordan generations later when Johnidols that Israel picked up from other committed to seeing you safelybaptized Him, and He identified withpeople along the way, snares that through. So dont talk as much, andus in our humanity, our brokenness,weighed them down, that must be spend more time listening to Him.and our sin. The covenant God madecarried. And then there was God, who Trust Him and do what He says. with His people is fulfilled in Christ.carried Israel through the great and Only in Jesus do we get to crossterrifying wilderness all the way as a Look to the Ark through the waters and not drown.man carries his son.and See Your SalvationOnly in Christ are we not consumedHes carrying you, too. All the (Joshua 3:1013)by our enemies or our own sin. Onlyway. So lay down your idols and G od told Joshua and the peo- in Christ do we know the way forwardconsecrate yourself, because the Lord ple that this is how theyinto the great and terrifying unknownis going to do great and wonderful would know for certain thatof places weve never been.things among you! Come and listen the Lord would be with them andJesusthe One to whom the Ark ofto the Word made flesh, the One who fight for them as they entered thethe Covenant pointsis Emmanuel,dwells with you and in you to give life landthey would see Him do to thethe living God who is among usto your weary, worn-down self. And Jordan what He did to the Red Sea 40(Joshua 3:10). He passes through farlook to Jesus, the One who passed the years before. But this time, He wouldmore than just the river for us. As thewilderness test for you so theres no do it when the priests carrying thewaters of the Jordan began to pile upcondemnationjust the chance to try Ark of the Covenant stepped downin a heap very far off at the placeagain. Stop asking Him to put things into the water. called Adam and were cut off all theback to normal. Ask instead that He Its no accident that the Ark of theway down to the Salt Sea, I believewould fill you with His Spirit and do Covenantthe representation of thethe Lord is telling us that in Christ, allsomething extraordinary in you and Lord and His presence with Israelthe terror and trouble, all the ragingthrough you. See, my friend, the sal-along the journeywas carried bywaters of sorrow and sin, are cut offvation of your God. \x04 38 WWW.CITYGATENETWORK.ORG SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020'