“Alea iacta est”
When your children ask their fathers in times to come, “What do these stones mean?” then you shall let your children know, “Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.” Joshua 4:21-22, ES)
Julius Caesar weighed his options and made a decision that would lead to civil war: Marching his troops over the Roman border and to the gates of Rome herself. It was illegal for military leaders to bring their legions into Rome, whose northern border was marked by the Rubicon River. To cross the Rubicon would unleash chaos, and Caesar knew this. On January 10, 49 BC he and his legions crossed the Rubicon and he said, “Alea iacta est”––the die is cast. Caesar tossed the die that triggered events that led to the end of the Roman Republic and the rise of the empire.
Some 1,350 years earlier and as many miles away, arguably history’s most famous river crossing took place. When the Israelites forded the Jordan they knew there was no turning back. This is what their mothers and fathers had sacrificed and died for—not a single person who had left Egypt made it across the river except Joshua and Caleb. Unlike Caesar, whose reasons for crossing the Rubicon were mixed, Joshua’s reason was crystalline. God said, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
What river in your life needs fording? Are you “throwing the dice” on your major decisions, leaving your chances to Fortuna, the goddess of fate, as Caesar did? Or, are you trusting the God that temporarily cut off the waters of the Jordan so the very young and old could cross without even soaking their sandals?
Fortune. Fate. Luck. None of these intangibles are legitimate metrics in God’s Kingdom. The Roman writer Ennius said, “Fortune favors the brave,” and Caesar took his advice. Boldness is important in life, but as God’s men, we choose the Holy Spirit’s leading over our own sense of bravery or boldness. And we don’t need to say “alea iacta est” when we negotiate our Rubicons. In the midst of the darkest situations, God whispers above the tumult, as He did with Joshua: “Go and stand in the river” (Joshua 3:8). When we do, God comes through. He may not cut off the waters of your troubles in the ways you hope or imagine, but He will never leave you or forsake you as you cross over.
Mighty man of God, I can relate. That place of drowning is the loneliest place in the world. If your river is deep, or if your feet have lost contact with the bottom, call or text just one guy who can be Caleb to your Joshua. Don’t ford the river alone. There is always hope.
Father, let me cross my Rubicons with you as my guide, and use me to help other men make it across.