Healthy Buffers

Whether it’s stepping into a new season of life, embracing a fresh calling, or simply obeying God in the face of uncertainty, we all reach moments when the path ahead feels unfamiliar and the way behind is no longer viable. Israel experienced two such pivotal moments: once at the edge of the Red Sea under the leadership of Moses, and again at the banks of the Jordan River under Joshua. These water crossings were not just physical passages—they were spiritual thresholds. Each marked a defining transition in the life of God’s people.

In the Red Sea crossing, the Israelites were escaping slavery and learning to trust God’s power to deliver. In the Jordan crossing, a new generation, born in the wilderness, was preparing to enter the promise that their parents had forfeited through rebellion. These two moments, though similar in divine intervention, differ in leadership, posture, and purpose. Today, we are going to look deeply into both crossings, with a special focus on Joshua’s command to the people: keep your distance from the Ark so you can see the way ahead. In doing so, learn how a healthy buffer in our journey of faith can make the difference between wandering and walking wisely.

The First Crossing
The first crossing, found in Exodus 13 and 14, takes place at the Red Sea. Here, the Israelites are desperate. Pharaoh has changed his mind about letting them go and is closing in with his army. The people panic. They accuse Moses of leading them to their deaths. Fear fills the camp. And in the midst of this chaos, God instructs Moses to raise his staff. The waters part dramatically, and the people pass through on dry ground. God orchestrated the situation so that He could display His glory by delivering His people and defeating their enemies. What looked like a trap was actually a stage for divine power. The Israelites were freshly released from slavery and still learning to trust. God met them in their panic, and through Moses, made a way. It was a miracle of mercy, not maturity. The people were saved not because they had great faith, but because of God’s own agenda.

The Second Crossing
Contrast this with the crossing of the Jordan River in Joshua 3. By this point, not only had forty years passed, but a new generation had arisen—because the previous one had rebelled against God and was not permitted to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 14:22–23). These were not the same people who had crossed the Red Sea. This generation had grown up in the wilderness, shaped by manna, the pillar of cloud and fire, and decades of wandering. They had heard the stories of deliverance but had not experienced them firsthand. There was still urgency in the air—not the urgency of escape, but of obedience. It was time to take possession of the land. This urgency is reflected in Joshua 1, where God repeatedly tells Joshua, “Be strong and courageous.” Three times in that chapter, God charges him to lead with boldness (Joshua 1:6–9). This crossing was not merely geographical—it was a spiritual crossroad, a test of leadership. Joshua was stepping into Moses’ shoes and guiding a people who had never been this way before. There was no army at their back this time, but a monumental threshold stood before them. Joshua tells the people to prepare themselves spiritually. He gives instructions that are orderly and symbolic. Most notably, he commands them to keep a distance of about two thousand cubits (approximately 900m) between themselves and the Ark of the Covenant (Joshua 3:4). The Ark represented the presence of God, and Joshua insisted that they not draw too near. Why? So that they would know the way to go—because they had never been that way before.

When Joshua said they had not been this way before, it was not only about geography. This people had never completed anything they started. They had never stepped out of wandering into fulfillment. They had not followed up great deliverance with possession of the promise. What should have taken 40 days had stretched into 40 years. This was no longer time for reactive faith but responsive faith. The people were being called to trust God’s leading in a deliberate, reverent manner. The miracle did not occur when Joshua prayed or raised a staff. It happened when the priests carrying the Ark stepped into the water—only then did the Jordan stop flowing (Joshua 3:15–16). The truth is that there are certain miracles that will only happen when we step out and begin to act or live out our prayer. We cannot divorce our prayer from how we engage each day. We need to live like we believe God has heard our prayer.

Why the Distance?
In Joshua 3:4, Joshua instructs the people to keep a distance between themselves and the Ark of the Covenant. At first glance, this command may seem like a matter of logistics, but it carried deep spiritual significance. The instruction wasn’t about exclusion—it was about attitude. God was shaping how they approached Him—not just with space, but with hearts postured in humility and trust. It taught the people how to approach God, how to follow Him, and how to move forward with reverence and clarity. First, reverence requires room. The Ark was not a common object to be trailed or casually approached. It represented the very presence and holiness of God. By placing space between themselves and the Ark, the people were reminded: this journey was not primarily about them. It was about Him. The distance reinforced God’s otherness—His majesty and authority. It was a sacred boundary that called for humility. Second, perspective demands distance. Joshua told the people, “You have never been this way before.” If they crowded the Ark or rushed too closely, they would lose sight of the path ahead. The space was practical, but it was also deeply symbolic. Spiritual buffers—moments of pause, space for reflection—give us clarity. They help us see where God is leading, especially when we are stepping into unfamiliar territory.

Finally, maturity walks at God’s pace. At the Red Sea, the Israelites were spiritual infants, panicked and in need of rescue. But at the Jordan, they were being called to something more mature. This wasn’t about reacting to crisis—it was about learning to follow with trust and discipline. To follow too closely risked rushing ahead or interfering with the process. The distance allowed them to walk deliberately, not impulsively—to move not in fear, but with spiritual sight. In keeping their distance, the people were being trained to follow—not just physically, but spiritually—with reverence, perspective, and maturity.

The Buffers We Need Today
There are parallels in our lives. Many of us are following too closely—not to God in trust, but to life in anxiety. We fill every moment of our schedules. We allow too many voices into our heads. We rush or undermine our prayers. We attach ourselves to relationships, ambitions, or ministries so tightly that we can no longer tell where they end and we begin. We need buffers. We need time buffers—pauses in our day, our week, our year. Sabbath is not just a command but a gift. Time buffers allow our souls to catch up with our bodies, and our hearts to reconnect and stay fresh with God. We need relational buffers—healthy boundaries that keep us from overcommitting emotionally or spiritually. Not everyone should have direct access to your energy or attention. Even Jesus retreated from the crowds. We need space buffers—moments where we stop trying to manufacture results and let God move first. We need to resist the urge to manipulate outcomes and instead wait patiently for God to go ahead.

Walking with Holy Distance
Joshua gave the Israelites a model of this disciplined faith. First, he told them to consecrate themselves. Preparation mattered. They weren’t just wandering into the promise; they were entering with spiritual intention. Then he instructed them to follow the Ark, but with space. God would go ahead. Their role was not to direct, but to respond. Finally, the moment came when the priests stepped into the Jordan. Only then did the miracle begin. The waters halted, the riverbed dried, and the people crossed. It was a sacred sequence: prepare, observe, follow, obey. And it all began with creating space.

Bible Readings
Monday: Exodus 33:12–23
Tuesday: Psalm 27
Wednesday: Numbers 13:26–33 & Numbers 14:20–35
Thursday: Joshua 1:1–11
Friday: 2 Kings 5:1–14
Saturday: Joshua 4:1–9, 19–24