Elder Bednar: Recall how the Israelites came to the river
Jordan and were promised the waters would part, and they would be able to cross
over on dry ground. Interestingly, the waters did not part as the children of
Israel stood on the banks of the river waiting for something to happen; rather,
the soles of their feet were wet before the water parted. The faith of the
Israelites was manifested in the fact that they walked into the water before it
parted. They walked into the river Jordan with a future-facing assurance of
things hoped for. As the Israelites moved forward, the water parted, and as
they crossed over on dry land, they looked back and beheld the evidence of
things not seen. In this episode, faith as assurance led to action and produced
the evidence of things not seen that were true.
Like
the Israelites, we may in faith be asked to do things that may not make sense
in our modern world. We may be up to our
knees in that water, maybe up to our waists waiting to see the power of God
come to our deliverance.