January 5th - Reflection

Joshua 1:1-9 (NRSV)
Be strong

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying, "My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory. No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Reflection
We are servants of God. We have been called and gifted through the Holy Spirit. We have been baptized and sent out on this journey together under God's leadership. As we approach the river, the sea, the wall or whatever is our struggle in this life, we need to pause and look to God. Seek God's vision and voice. Pause and pray for God's plan of action. We are servants of God. We need to know our direction..

God brings promise into our lives in ways that are mysterious. Some will cross first, some in the middle and some last. Some of us will be sent out as spies. But all in all we must know that each of us is a servant of God, in need of God's direction. The plan that each one of us embarks on is uniquely divine when we follow God's plan. That doesn't say that each of us will be doing the same thing, God has chosen you and given you unique gifts to be used in his Kingdom.

Be strong, be courageous and be obedient. Success belongs to God. We are servants of God. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, as you call and gift all your people, give them that passion and compassion to be strong and be your servant following as disciples in your living plan. --- Amen