In the year 1995, an informal agreement was made between the United States and Cuba, by which Cuban migrants who made it to U.S soil, would not be repatriated, but would have been eligible for an immigrant visa, permanent residence, and finally U.S citizenship. Those who were thus successful in braving the turbulent and often dangerous waters between the two countries, then reaching shore, were informally referred to as “Dry foot” migrants, meaning that they had reached dry land. On the other hand, those who were not successful, but were otherwise lost, or were intercepted at sea by the U.S coast guard, were then repatriated, and were designated as “Wet foot” migrants, because they were apprehended or lost at sea. But to make that trip, with no certainty of ever reaching land required a big leap of faith, for history shows that very many people who attempted to make the perilous journey have been lost at sea, with some estimates putting the figures at several thousands, if not more.
Therefore, the mere fact that individuals in Cuba
would take the risk of not arriving in the U.S, thus putting their lives on the line for what they believe would be a better life, teaches us a lot about how the Christian’s faith works, for there are very many similarities, and important lessons to be deduced from these daring experiences. What is worthy of note, is that in deciding to make that dangerous journey over turbulent seas, Cuban immigrants are never guaranteed that the going will be all smooth, and so it is with this understanding that they zip up their boots and take the leap of faith, believing that the “Promised land” will be theirs at the end of the voyage. People who embark upon such a perilous journey in faith are usually successful in life when they arrive in the U.S, for by making that voyage on rafts or small wooden boats, they do display a very rugged mentality that is quite capable of braving, and surmounting the most daunting challenges.
Our personal decisions to obey and believe Christ, should not primarily be based on guarantees that everything will go smoothly without a hitch, for like the Florida straits, it is a perilous journey that the Christian embarks upon, with temptations, and all kinds of hurdles and difficulties to surmount, in addition to which there are disappointments which at times severely test our faith, and our sanity. But faith that is not tested cannot be trusted, for just as the tensile strength of a bridge must be rigorously tested before being available for daily traffic, just so must the Christian be tested in various ways, so that a rugged enduring faith may be developed as a part of the fabric of our characters. This will ultimately require that we trust God in places where we may not be able to trace His movements, or where our human logic, methods, ways and means may fail of affording any solutions.
This is one of the important lessons The Lord taught the Hebrews as they were being prepared to cross the river Jordan, at a time when the waters were at flood stage, overflowing its banks into nearby fields. The instruction from God was that the priests who bore the Ark of the Covenant should stand ready on the banks of the Jordan, and as soon as their feet got wet by touching the waters, the river would then split in two, and the whole congregation would go through on dry land. Thus the “Wet foot, dry foot” method of exercising faith in God was firmly established, meaning that we might never see or experience miraculous results if we are not willing to get our feet “Wet”. In other words, if we wait for the river Jordan to part before we make our move, then the possibilities of dry land on the other side may never be realized. Let’s read:
Joshua 3:10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites”…
11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.
12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.
13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.
14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
Earlier on in their wanderings, the children of Israel had failed signally, just as God was about to work a mighty deliverance for them, in giving them the land of Canaan. At this time God had repeatedly told them that He was going to bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey, meaning that it was well watered, the soil was rich, and the earth there brought forth fruit and food in abundance. But not being satisfied with what God had declared on several occasions, they suggested to Moses that spies be sent out to search the land, in order to double-check God’s promises, to see if they were indeed true, and since that decision to send spies was a decision based on fear and doubt, it did not fail to produce the evil results that a doubting spirit always produces. Let’s read:
[Patriarchs And Prophet pp. 387] Eleven days after leaving Mount Horeb the Hebrew host encamped at Kadesh, in the wilderness of Paran, which was not far from the borders of the Promised Land. Here it was proposed by the people that spies be sent up to survey the country. The matter was presented before the Lord by Moses, and permission was granted, with the direction that one of the rulers of each tribe should be selected for this purpose. The men were chosen as had been directed, and Moses bade them go and see the country, what it was, its situation and natural advantages; and the people that dwelt therein, whether they were strong or weak, few or many; also to observe the nature of the soil and its productiveness and to bring of the fruit of the land.
But there is something radically wrong with this request as was made by the people, for if God had already stated that the land is flowing with milk and honey, then to send out spies to verify these facts would show unbelief in the words and promises of God, and as the sacred record shows, this mindset is a “Wet foot” mindset, meaning that all those who deliberately indulge a doubting spirit, without true repentance, are never the ones to cross over onto dry land. And in harmony with this sobering truth, we read of the sad results of harboring doubt, in the face of God’s promises and assurances. Let’s read:
Numbers 13:16 These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
18 And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;
20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean,
whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes.
27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Numbers 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up
their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
[Christian Service pp. 110] Often the Christian life is beset with dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before, and bondage and death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, Go forward. Let us obey the command, even though our sight cannot penetrate the darkness. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Those who defer obedience till every uncertainty disappears, and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey. Faith looks beyond the difficulties, and lays hold of the unseen, even Omnipotence, therefore it cannot be baffled. Faith is the clasping of the hand of Christ in every emergency.
It is often the case that when we presume to “Spy” out the land, that our worst fears are confirmed, therefore it’s always better to adopt the “Dry foot” mentality leaving the future fulfillment of God’s promises in His hands. Decisions that are based on fear usually cost us dearly, because they are made preemptively, without trusting God. While decisions that are made through faith are usually capable of overcoming unexpected and unforeseen challenges, for faith places its strength and confidence in the omnipotent power of God, whilst fear dwells almost solely on that which is logical and that which can be seen. Hence the reason why the apostle James says that fear has torment, for it is continuously riddled with ever-changing negative possibilities that may, or may not occur, and in most cases fear serves as a deterrent that is centered in phantom dangers, that are usually prefaced with the words, “What if”.
A young man seeks to be married to the girl of his dreams, but then the question arises, “What if”. “What if” she does not turn out to be whom I had expected, and “What if” she cannot cook good food, and “What if” the marriage does not work out. And before we know it the poor young man has so many unanswered questions in his mind that he not only begins to doubt the girl of his dreams, but also goes on a witch hunt for phantom problems which exist solely in his imagination, to the point that finally, on his wedding day, when pressed by his pastor for a positive response to the marriage vow, he answers, not with “I do”, but blurts out “I might”. Thus the marriage which could have been a God-send, starts off on a tenor of enlarging real or unreal difficulties, with plan “B” always sitting in the shadows.
Again, a husband and wife seek to purchase their first home, and after prayer they are led by God to a beautiful home in the Miami suburbs, in a decent neighborhood with good schools. It is located just minutes from where they both work, the mortgage note can be easily afforded, and it’s five minutes away from Publix, where shopping is a pleasure. But then again, that haunting question, “What if” begins to unravel, and to nip away at what God has already done. “What if” it has termites? Guess what, if any one lives in Florida, you will have termites sooner or later! Again, “What if” a sink hole should develop in the future, or “What if” a hurricane comes along? “What if” the neighbors are not friendly? And “What if” we should lose our jobs? Now all these are viable concerns, but if left to run riot unbridled, they can then cause the couple to question God’s leadership, and like the Israelites of old, they too might begin to complain that God led them in a path to kill them and their family. Thus it is quite possible for us to reason and worry ourselves out of the hands of Christ, and whenever this occurs He appears to be more of an enemy than a Friend.
Therefore, if we are looking for the perfect mate, the perfect house, or the perfect church, with no possibility of there being any hiccups along the way, then we will be disappointed, and we may be left no choice but to join Alice in wonderland. Let’s read:
[Patriarchs and Prophets, 293, 294]
Though their present needs are supplied, many are unwilling to trust God for the future, and they are in constant anxiety lest poverty shall come upon them, and their children shall be left to suffer. Some are always anticipating evil, or magnifying the difficulties that really exist, so that their eyes are blinded to the many blessings which demand their gratitude. The obstacles they encounter, instead of leading them to seek help from God, the only source of strength, separate them from him because they awaken unrest and repining....
Jesus is our friend; all heaven is interested in our welfare; and our anxiety and fear grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We should not indulge in a solicitude that only frets and wears us but does not help us to bear trials. No place should be given to that distrust of God which leads us to make a preparation against future want the chief pursuit of life, as though our happiness consisted in these earthly things.
Thus it is that in all of our endeavors, whether it be in soul-saving, church-building, or dealing with the many problems that may come our way from time to time, let us therefore manifest that perfect trust in the power of Jehovah to guide us with wisdom
and discretion, and also to fulfill His promises in due season, for whatsoever we have gotten clearance from God to do, He is able to perform, once we do not run ahead of Him, but patiently wait for His word. As Christians we often prefer a long detailed plan stretching way into the future, but if God were to deal thus with us, then we will not need faith, for our obedience will be based on fact, not on trust. Whenever God says go forward, it means for us to proceed full speed ahead until He says stop, for the rivers of Jordan before us usually open up, only as we take that first step in getting our feet wet. Then as we proceed, trusting in God, we are able to walk through on dry land, according as His providence and promises guide us.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which cautions us not to fall into the same errors of the ancient Hebrew people by not trusting in God, and harboring unbelief and doubt, for their “Wet foot, dry foot” experiences were written so that we may
make straight paths for our feet. Let’s read:
1st Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!