FAITH CONNECTION – FARMERSVILLE UMC
Ministry Updates for Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020
Scripture for reflection – Joshua 1:7
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.
Reflection – Strength
Joshua was charged by God to take the Hebrew people into ‘the promised land’. He was challenged by God to be ‘strong and very courageous.’ So, he not only had to carry out the will of God, he had to carry it out in God’s way.
Taking time to do things the right way does not restrict our power, it increases it. This is a faith statement. Do you believe it?
Said another way, following God rules while living out God’s call is a formidable combination. Of course, our goal is not power in and of itself, but rather an outcome. God wants to bring us into the promised land, and for us to develop the kind of character that makes a ‘promised land’, a good place for everyone.
Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Corazon Aquino all based their peaceful revolutions on the words of Jesus; particularly his ‘Sermon on the Mount’, which can be found in Matthew chapters 5 to 7.
Bullies believe ‘might makes right’. As people of faith, we believe our strength comes from living both God’s will and God’s way. We do not overpower with muscle, but with faith, hope and love, we bring people willingly closer to God and his church.
Scripture has taught me to emphasize peaceful means, meaningful dialogue, gratitude, inclusiveness, patience, perspective, and compassion. Our world is being reshaped by pandemic and racial upheaval. The most enduring changes and the healthiest communities will be guided by principles similar to these. And in places where people are seeking change through violence, the courts, or might alone, they will be living in a house of cards, if they are even able to get the house up.
Prayer
God whose Word gives us strength, we are reminded through your words to Joshua that you call us to work toward outcomes and live by principles. Help us, we pray, work for a better world not just through goals, but through the witness our character provides. Today help me overcome the temptation of ignoring the importance of character. Make me ever stronger by working toward your purposes, and by standing by your word. Amen.