Fields United Methodist Church

Jesus Along the Way: Words of Grace and Hope.                    By Pastor Tom Joyce

September 1, 2020

“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.”  Joshua 1:9

Sometimes we need to be reminded of God’s presence, especially when we feel like just running away from challenges that are before us. When Moses died, God called Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised land.  Joshua led with confidence, knowing that God was with him every step of the way. He needed to remind others as he was reminded that their strength will come from the One who created them. Your life is a journey, and with every journey there are peaks and valleys, waters to cross with detours along the way. When the journey is hard, it is easy to just stop, yet God has provided “Joshuas” along the way, reminding you that “God is with you wherever you go.”  A Joshua may be somebody offering a kind word, a prayer, or a cup of water. Many years ago, I journeyed with a young family when the mom of two young children died unexpectedly. I presided over her “celebration of Life” and offered Christ to them in the days following. Many years and a few churches later, I received a call from one of the young children who was no longer a child but an adult thanking me for being with them during an incredibly difficult time in their family’s life; he was my Joshua at that moment, reminding me of the goodness and enduring love of God that had been shared with both of us.  The words God placed on his heart and shared with me was a reminder of God’s presence with his family during a tragic time of loss.  I will never forget his kind words to me, that came at a “valley moment” in my life. You are blessed by God wherever you go and whatever life’s challenges may be for you. God’s timing is perfect and God offers assurance to you all along the way. Celebrate the “Joshuas” that God has placed along your way offering grace and hope to you; share the gift you have received by being a “Joshua” to somebody else along the way.

Rev. Tom Joyce, pastor