As Joshua set out on the journey into the Promised Land he knew that the people he was about to lead were more than likely afraid of what lay ahead. However, before they started, Joshua was given his marching orders from God who not only reminded Him that He had promised more, but that He was going to be with them. God wanted the people to remember where they had come from and that their story did not end at Moses’ death but continues because of His promise. Joshua needed to connect his people to the story so that they could see God’s presence and influence on their journey.
Over the past few weeks our FACEBOOK page has suggested that one way to celebrate Easter would be to focus on Jesus. The recommendation was to remember His whole story so that we could see His presence and influence on our journey through life. Jesus’ story includes His presence before creation, events in the garden, His birth, His earthly ministry, His abuse and crucifixion, His resurrection and ascension and His assurance He will come again. It also includes access to the Holy Spirit so that we can daily live for and remain connected to Him. Hopefully, as we remember Jesus in our prayers, mediations and contemplations, we will be taken on two simultaneous spiritual journeys: an inward looking journey where we seek to find Christ dwelling within us; and an outward looking journey where we look for Him dwelling amongst us and the world.
Reflecting on Jesus’ story is one way to start this spiritual journey but of course there is no sure step process that will automatically connect us to God. One spiritual guide wrote “If you require precision, order, sequential progression and careful forward motion, then you will be sorely disappointed, for Spiritual growth is messy because life is messy, disorderly and random.” It does however require an intentional act of seeking and if we are uncertain if we are finding Jesus maybe we could consider some sort of daily accountability exercises. Asking ourselves questions may enlighten us as to where we may need to look:
1. What was my prayer experience like today?
2. What areas of my life did God touch?
3. How did I experience God’s grace today?
4. Did I cooperate with God today?
5. What did I not bring openly to Him today?
6. What do I need to confess?
7. What is changing in me as I listen to God?
8. What attitudes am I experiencing as I relate to others in my life?
One of the encouraging pieces of knowledge we can bring with us as we are seeking this relationship with God is to know that He is by our side wherever we go. It may be that we are not looking in the right places.