Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:8-9
I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will meditate on all Your work and muse on Your deeds. Your way, O God, is holy; what god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples. You have by Your power redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Psalm 77:11-15
Our Scripture above reminds us that God is our redeemer and that He is with us for the long haul. We are absolutely dependent on God for our redemption and meditating on His Word and remembering His deeds and wonders will help us to keep in mind that dependence on Him for redemption and everything else is what a life of faith is all about. However much we have been “living by faith” up to now, the present challenge is to keep doing so as fully as possible. We must not confuse “living by faith” with being strong. Being strong can happen without God. We can be strong in terms of power, privilege, and provision and bypass God. If we “live by faith” as a church, we will be strong as a church in the things that truly matter to God.
If this is the cry and prayer of our hearts, God will supply everything we need. May God bless us richly as we labor together in faith. What has taken place in the past, what we are experiencing now, and what we anticipate will lie ahead for us as a church can only be attributed to the working of God and would be impossible without Him. We can only imagine what God will accomplish as we go forward with a focused faith. Listening to God’s voice alone, doing only what He wants, and relying fully on His power is crucial. Vigilance to do so will ensure that we avoid the traps that lie before us as well. If we will faithfully seek Him, depend on Him totally, and long for Him to be glorified and honored, we will know His continued presence, power, victory, and blessing in our church and in our lives.
Such a mission as ours is not an impossible one. God gave it to us, He has been at the center of it from the beginning, and He is out ahead of us paving the way for the future. He has been faithful, and we can be confident that He will fulfill the promises He has made to us. There is nothing to fear when we rely on the God of all possibility to do in us and through us that which is impossible for us to do on our own. Praise God that we are not alone. We are united with Him and each other and are going forward together in the joyous mission of reaching people for Christ and helping them to live fully for God and His kingdom by faith.
Lord, I know that in my life and in the life of our church you are out ahead paving the way for the future as we seek to be a faith-filled people. Being able to listen to your voice alone, do only what you want, and rely solely on your power is the cry of my heart. Help us all to faithfully seek you, depend on you totally, and long for you to be glorified and honored. Grant that we will know your continued presence, power, victory, and blessing in our church and in our lives. Amen!
