I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU

What wonderful words of assurance Joshua receives as he takes over the leadership of Israel following Moses’ death! Going from the position of Moses’ aide to the leader of Israel is a big promotion. Will Joshua be equal to the task?
The Lord reassures Joshua with these comforting words:

“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5).

Death often forces changes of leadership roles upon us. Whether it be in a family, a work situation, or the church—death has a way of forcing issues of leadership crisis upon us. In Joshua’s case, Moses has died and now a younger generation of leadership must take his place. God reassures Joshua that His divine presence will always be with him to sustain him.

As I reflect on this significant change in Joshua’s life, I see spiritual leadership and the Divine presence coming together for the following purposes.

First, God will sustain us during times of transition.

Second, God is a God of the generations and continues to work with and through succeeding transitions of leadership in the kingdom.

Third, a constant sense of His abiding presence is essential to strong and courageous leadership.

Fourth, the power of such leadership is founded upon God’s promise of never leaving nor forsaking us.

Through Joshua’s faithful leadership Israel is given an
possess the land and inherit the blessings God has been promising Israel for many years. Finally, this fledgling nation will see the mighty hand of God offering such divine benefits. The same is true today. Faithful spiritual leadership allows God’s people to reap the divine blessings promised!
In Christian love, Curtis

Lord, Speak to Me

This is the title of an old hymn that speaks powerfully to us today. Below are the words to the first verse:

Lord, speak to me that I may speak
In living echoes of thy tone
As Thou hast sought so let me seek
Thine erring children, lost and lone.

These words say much to us. I see at least the following powerful connections to make with our daily life as a Christian:

>Intimate conversation with the Lord provides the basis for our conversations with others.

>Being in such conversations helps us recognize the tone of the divine voice speaking within us, and we echo that language in our conversations with others.

>God’s initiative of seeking lost sheep provides our initiative.

>God’s care for lost and lonely people motivates us to reach out to them also.

This song originally written in 1872 by Frances Havergal is just as eloquent in its fervent message today as it was then. It speaks profoundly to our lack of interest in others’ spiritual warfare, and perhaps provides a reason for why we often do not reach out to others who are struggling.

All of us are deeply sinful, erring, lost and lonely. But when we meet God in that place deep within, invite God in for conversation and listen quietly for His healing balm, then we can turn around and share with others what has been so restorative for us.

When we prayerfully and wistfully sing, “Lord, speak to me,” then we need to be ready for what follows! Be ready for “echoes of his tone” to reverberate in the chambers of our hearts with an urgent message of seeking the lost and lonely. Are we up for the challenge?

In Christian love, Curtis

GOD AND DOORS

Friends,

Today I am talking about opportunities; good ones, not so good ones and just plain bad ones.
It is pointless to say we are “waiting for God to open or close doors.” Jesus said “it is finished.” He is our King, not our doorman. We must learn which doors to open and which to shut from our study of the Bible, by seeking the council of wise and capable people and by properly applying our own experience.

Learning to do such things makes us more like Christ. Becoming more like Christ brings glory to God. [e-mail sent to me]

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Reply from Curtis:

My friend, good thoughts. However, let me pose a little twist on your perspective. "Waiting" can be the most active thing to do. Henri J. M. Nouwen, the Christian writer, once wrote a journal article for Weavings entitled "Active-Waiting." In this particular article he pointed out that Jesus' ministry was very active up until the time he was betrayed. After he was betrayed ("handed over") to the religious officials, his ministry went from active to passive.

Often God does his greatest work when we are in the passive mode of waiting. It is a waiting characterized by humility, agony, inner angst, no clear or discernible action by God, a commitment to mission, willingness to forgive those who have hurt us, and courageous faith in the face of death. It is this kind of waiting that comes out of a desire to please God and see His will done on the earth through us.

I would say that yes, "we must learn which doors to open and which to shut," as well as to spend some quiet time refraining from opening and closing doors ourselves. Out of this quietness comes a calm assurance that God will indeed open and close doors, perhaps not in our timing, but our prayer is for discernment for two things: to be the answer to someone else's prayers for doors to be opened, and to allow God to open doors for us that are impossible for us to open ourselves! Yours in Jesus, Curtis