Wednesdays with Grace

Joshua 1:9 - “…Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Three times, God tells Joshua to “be strong and courageous” and to affirm that his Lord is with him.  For about six beautiful chapters, the people Israel hold near to God, and through faithfulness find the promise land opens to them. I am not certain, but six chapters might be the world record for the people of Israel. As a people, they proved quick to detach themselves from God’s commands and seek their own path, never with success.

For reasons unknown to me, our spiritual memories are woefully short. The joy of walking with God suddenly becomes eclipsed by the arrogant notion that we can exceed that joy with our own effort.  And off we run, away from His guidance down paths where we will find no peace or joy.  Yet, like the people of Israel, we forget our previous failures and attempt the solo trek again and again.

Therefore, it is vital to recognize the fruitful seasons of our lives; to recognize His hand in those seasons so that we can resist the arrogance to say, “My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this….” We are quick to attribute success to our own effort. Sustaining success requires that we remain humble and continue to rely on the Lord.

In this transitional season in which Grace Church finds itself, feet wet with the waters of the Jordan, let us stack our stones to remember who brought us to this point.  Let our spiritual memories be anchored to His path, so that through Him, we can face future challenges with strength and courage.

God Bless you,

Thomas Goodrich