{"id":7153,"date":"2019-03-13T18:21:05","date_gmt":"2019-03-13T17:21:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/?p=7153"},"modified":"2019-03-13T18:25:18","modified_gmt":"2019-03-13T17:25:18","slug":"leaving-the-desert-behind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2019\/03\/13\/leaving-the-desert-behind\/","title":{"rendered":"Leaving the desert behind"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nWanderlust, Paris  (Photo: Irene Bom)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was my privilege, as newly appointed moderator of the International Presbytery, to conduct the communion service at our Presbytery meeting in Paris this past weekend.<\/p>\n

Here is a transcript of my reflection on Joshua 1:1-9<\/a>.<\/div>\n\n

Only be strong and courageous<\/h3>\n

I regularly listen to a podcast called Creative Pep Talk<\/em>. Here is God giving Joshua a pep talk at a crucial, threshold moment in his life and in the life of his people. And, I suppose, this is my pep talk to you and to my own soul.<\/p>\n

Joshua got a sneak preview of the Promised Land 40 years earlier, as one of the 12 spies, and he and his friend, Caleb, returned with glowing reports, admitting it wouldn’t be easy but with God’s help nothing is impossible.<\/p>\n

Sadly – tragically – the other 10 spies were anything but strong and courageous and they sowed a spirit of fear and unbelief.<\/p>\n

Joshua stayed true to his convictions all through the wilderness years, faithfully serving Moses as his assistant and spending time with God, getting to know Him better.<\/p>\n

With Moses gone and the Promised Land back on the agenda, it was time for a leader with a different personality and skill set. A warrior leader, strong and courageous, to inspire his people (this time round) to be strong and courageous too.<\/p>\n

‘Be strong and courageous, Joshua,’ God said (v. 6). ‘Only be strong and courageous’ (v. 7). ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened or dismayed’ (v. 9). ‘As I was with Moses,’ God said, ‘I will be with you; I will not fail or forsake you’ (v. 5). ‘The Lord your God is with you wherever you go’ (v. 9). <\/p>\n

To paraphrase: ‘Be strong and courageous, Joshua, because you are not alone. If you continue to trust me and obey my commandments, there is nothing to fear. I’ve got your back.’<\/p>\n

Earlier in Deuteronomy 31:7-8<\/a> God used Moses to encourage Joshua with these self-same words. This time God encourages Joshua in person with wave upon wave of loving affirmation, so the words sink in.<\/p>\n

We can all do with more courage and encouragement – especially when we are tempted to give up, worn out by the wilderness years; or when we’re on the threshold of something new and risky; or when we face wave upon wave of opposition as we venture forward to make the Promised Land our own.<\/p>\n

Let me encourage you today. <\/p>\n

Whatever ‘strong and courageous’ means in your context, be strong in the Lord and courageous. For ‘God did not give us a timid spirit, but a spirit of power and love and sound judgement’ (2 Timothy 1:7<\/a>).<\/p>\n

And let us encourage one another as we boldly move forward to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of us (Phil 3:12<\/a>).  Amen
\n <\/p>\n\n

Call to worship<\/h3>\n

(inspired by Jeremiah 31:7-9<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n

Praise God!
\nFor God is gathering His people together.
\nFrom near and far we come together\u2014
\nthe wounded and the whole, the weak and the strong\u2014
\nseeking God\u2019s presence,
\nGod\u2019s forgiveness,
\nand God\u2019s direction for our lives.<\/strong><\/p>\n

by Christine Longhurst, re:Worship<\/a>
\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wanderlust, Paris  (Photo: Irene Bom)   It was my privilege, as newly appointed moderator of the International Presbytery, to conduct the communion service at our Presbytery meeting in Paris this past weekend. Here is a transcript of my reflection on Joshua 1:1-9. Only be strong and courageous I regularly listen to a podcast called Creative … Continue reading “Leaving the desert behind”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[13,72,148],"tags":[153],"class_list":["post-7153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible","category-call-to-worship","category-reflection","tag-desert"],"yoast_head":"\nLeaving the desert behind - Prayer matters<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It takes strength and courage to leave the desert behind and venture into the Promised Land and take others along with us. 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For all the saints who live beside us whose weaknesses and strengths\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "prayer"","block_context":{"text":"prayer","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/prayer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/waiting_for_the_bus_malta.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/waiting_for_the_bus_malta.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/waiting_for_the_bus_malta.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/waiting_for_the_bus_malta.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15230,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2024\/05\/06\/thy-kingdom-come-join-in-and-join-us\/","url_meta":{"origin":7153,"position":3},"title":"Thy Kingdom Come: join in and join us","author":"Irene Bom","date":"May 6, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 THY KINGDOM COME | 9 to 19 May 2024 Christians around the world are invited to join this prayer movement that happens each year between Ascension Day and Pentecost Sunday. You too can get involved. Simply choose five people who do not yet know the love of God for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "event"","block_context":{"text":"event","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/event\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/branches_dangling_water.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/branches_dangling_water.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/branches_dangling_water.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/branches_dangling_water.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13376,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2022\/10\/07\/come-together\/","url_meta":{"origin":7153,"position":4},"title":"Come together","author":"Irene Bom","date":"October 7, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Have a seat. \u00a0Spotted in Budapest during our Presbytery weekend \u00a0 For wherever two or three people come together in my name, I am there, right among you! (Matt 18:20, J.B. Phillips New Testament) \u00a0 \u00a0 The Presbytery of International Charges of the Church of Scotland gathered in Budapest this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "benediction"","block_context":{"text":"benediction","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/benediction\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/four_seater_budapest.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/four_seater_budapest.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/four_seater_budapest.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/four_seater_budapest.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7642,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2019\/06\/13\/proclaim-the-wondrous\/","url_meta":{"origin":7153,"position":5},"title":"Proclaim the wondrous","author":"Irene Bom","date":"June 13, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Garden at Colomba Le Roc Retreat, France \u00a0(Photo: Irene Bom) \u00a0 But you are a chosen people, set aside to be \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0a royal order of priests, a holy nation, God\u2019s own; so that you may proclaim the wondrous acts of the One who called you out of inky darkness into\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "benediction"","block_context":{"text":"benediction","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/benediction\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/garden_at_colomba_le_roc.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/garden_at_colomba_le_roc.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/garden_at_colomba_le_roc.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/garden_at_colomba_le_roc.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Irene Bom","author_link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/author\/irenebom-com\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/bible\/\" rel=\"category tag\">bible<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/call-to-worship\/\" rel=\"category tag\">call to worship<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/reflection\/\" rel=\"category tag\">reflection<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Wanderlust, Paris  (Photo: Irene Bom)   It was my privilege, as newly appointed moderator of the International Presbytery, to conduct the communion service at our Presbytery meeting in Paris this past weekend. Here is a transcript of my reflection on Joshua 1:1-9. Only be strong and courageous I regularly listen to a podcast called Creative…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7153"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7153\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}