Scripture: Joshua 1:9
I’ve commanded you to be brave and strong, haven’t I? Don’t be alarmed or terrified, because the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.
Thought for the Day: As you can guess, I am feeling called to focus on the spiritual practices of prayer, contemplation and silence. We will focus on these even more during the season of Lent, but part of this is the itch I am feeling right now with all the reading I have been doing. I often hear people speak of searching for God, even going on a pilgrimage to find God. I understand very well the longing that leads a person to go out and look for the Holy beyond the day-to-day experiences. I would not discourage such things, but I often see that desire coming from people who are constantly busy and they have predetermined that the way to find God is to get even busier with spiritual stuff. Now the spiritual practices are essential, and taking a pilgrimage is one such practice. But as many have said before me, we are human beings, not human doers. For most of us, we need to learn how to simply be. What would it mean to rest in the graciousness of God, the One who found me long before I even considered looking. Maybe we need to take a pilgrimage to get away from the craziness, and then breathe.
Prayer: O Eternal Presence, as you revealed your promise to the Israelites before crossing into the Promised Land, may I hear again the news of your everlasting care and concern. This I pray in the name of the one who came to humanity, Jesus Christ. Amen.
