Rivers to Cross

About this episode

This episode discusses the challenges of faith through the story of Chris McCandless and the biblical account of Joshua crossing the Jordan River.

When Chris McCandless wandered off the grid and into the Alaskan wilderness, he expected to return. But he crossed the Teklanika in April, well before summer ice-melt would swell that river into an impassable torrent. Months later, out of food, McCandless couldn’t get back. His tragic death is memorialized in book and film. The people of ancient Israel faced a crucial river crossing in order to enter the promised land. However, “the Jordan [was] at flood stage” (Joshua 3:15), a challenge that would grow their faith. God told Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses” (v. 7). Joshua told the people, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you” (v. 11). Taking the ark, the priests stepped into the Jordan (v. 15), and “the water from upstream stopped flowing” (v. 16). The entire nation stepped across on a dry riverbed (v. 17). From time to time we’ll face “river crossings”—impossible situations that can grow our faith if we’ll turn to the one who makes the way across. The…

People in this episode

Host: Our Daily Bread Ministries

Topics covered

• faith
• challenges
• spiritual growth
• biblical stories
• life transitions

Keywords

• Chris McCandless
• Joshua
• Jordan River
• faith
• spiritual growth
• promised land
• crossing rivers
• Alaska
• life transitions

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: book, film

Places: Alaska, Jordan

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