When God wrote the Bible, do you think He knew that one day we would be sitting in a
room with others studying His word, applying the lessons learned through His people, and
challenging ourselves to grow deeper in our understanding of who we are as His children? I
would say, absolutely! I believe His word is a gift; a gift that can be given and received time and
time again. And each time we choose to reopen this gift, we choose to move forward in a
Godward direction. It serves as the roadmap to our spiritual journeys.
This week at teaching and worship we are concluding our study of the book of Joshua.
For the past 15 weeks, we have walked alongside one of God’s greatest leaders. We have
witnessed miracles, conquered lands, faced spiritual challenges, and stood at the crossroads of
our lives pondering which path to take. And just like Joshua, we have a conscious choice to
make. Do we follow his example and continue to serve his Lord, our God, in faithfulness and
obedience; or, do we follow our own imperfect substitutes in unfaithfulness and disobedience?
The decision is ours to make. The journey is ours to take.
“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your miracles of long
ago. I will consider all Your words and meditate on all Your mighty deeds.” ~Psalm 77:11-12
Here in Psalm 77, we discover a milestone in the author Asaph’s spiritual journey. Asaph
is seeking comfort during a time of great distress. He cries out to God for courage, strength, and
faith; and, he receives it only when he begins to pray fervently. Prayer began to eliminate his
pain. Prayer shifted his focus from his weakness to God’s power. And in God’s power the author
found respite because he was reminded of what God had previously provided in his life. He
remembered and recalled the times God showed up and showed off; the times where God
deposited His love into a soul thirsty for regeneration. This is exactly what sustained the
Israelites through their hardships. When Joshua encouraged his people to remember God’s
miracles and faithfulness, they were victorious!
Friends, this too serves as a milestone in our own walk with God. The lesson at this
particular ‘road stop’ encourages each of us to review how good God has been in our lives,
despite the difficulties along the way. When we find ourselves in distress, the answer is to
remember the gifts He has given us. When we feel like there is no way out, the answer is to
recall the tools He has provided that open the doors ahead. And when we find ourselves
doubtful, the answer is to keep our eyes up.
There is no Jordan river too deep or too wide that can keep our God away. He wants us
to trust Him, He wants us to give back to Him the pain that was never meant for us to carry. He
wants to make our journeys light. We are the Israelites, and we stand at the crossroads with
Joshua. Are we ready? Are we prepared? God is calling us; our spiritual journeys await.
God bless!
