Crossing Over Jordan
We should approach God and nature directly, without interposing the laws of nature between us and God, and have faith in the face of death by knowing that God is present and in control.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the direct relationship the prophets and psalmists had with God, contrasting it with modern perceptions that often complicate our understanding of the divine. He illustrates this through a story of a joyful elderly woman facing death, who viewed her transition as crossing over to a land owned by God, reflecting a profound faith in God's sovereignty. Tozer encourages believers to recognize God's presence in all aspects of life and to embrace the unity of creation under His rule. The sermon calls for a return to a more immediate apprehension of the divine, free from the distractions of modern interpretations of nature.
Text
The prophets and the psalmists of the Old Testament wrestled as we do with the problem of evil in a divine universe but their approach to God and nature was much more direct than ours. They did not interpose between God and His world that opaque web we moderns call the "laws of nature." They could see God in a whirlwind and hear Him in a storm and they did not hesitate to say so! There was about their lives an immediate apprehension of the divine. Everything in heaven and on earth assured them that this is God's world and that He rules over all. I heard a Methodist bishop tell of being called to the bedside of an elderly dying woman in his early ministry.
He said he was frightened; but the old saint was radiantly happy.
When he tried to express the sorrow he felt about her illness, she would not hear it. "Why, God bless you young man," she said cheerfully, "there is nothing to be scared about. I am just going to cross over Jordan, where my Father owns the land on both sides of the river!" She understood about the unity of all things in God's creation.
Sermon Outline
- The Problem of Evil in a Divine Universe points: - The prophets and psalmists of the Old Testament wrestled with the problem of evil
- The Direct Approach to God and Nature points: - They did not interpose between God and His world the laws of nature - They could see God in a whirlwind and hear Him in a storm
- Immediate Apprehension of the Divine points: - Everything in heaven and on earth assured them of God's presence - They knew God rules over all
- Faith in the Face of Death points: - A dying woman's radiance and faith in God's presence
Key Quotes
“They could see God in a whirlwind and hear Him in a storm.” — A.W. Tozer
“There is nothing to be scared about. I am just going to cross over Jordan, where my Father owns the land on both sides of the river!” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We should strive to have a direct and immediate apprehension of the divine in our lives.
- We can overcome fear in the face of death by knowing that God is with us and that there is nothing to be scared about.
- We should trust in God's presence and control in all things, even in the face of death.