Pathway

          The ‘pathway’, the road we walk, the journey we’re all on, Isaiah says, has been made new…and it’s a safe place to walk. It’s a place where healing occurs. It’s a place of beauty with flowers and streams of water in the middle of a hot, dry desert.  It’s a Holy Way Isaiah calls it.

          As the children were thinking about their journey here today what were you thinking about? Did you reflect back on what you saw as you came to church today? What caught your eye? What did you see that you’d never noticed before?

          This church is on a journey. In fact this church has been on a journey that began over 142 years ago. There have been changes and yet much has remained. The journey continues and only God knows what lies ahead. One thing is certain, it will interesting. Some things will change and some things will stay the same. It is a journey on a pathway designed by God, a Holy Way.

          As you listened to the Word read this morning what word or group of words spoke to you? One group of words in particular spoke to me, “Be strong, do not fear…Your God will come…he will save you.” 

          Isn’t that all that most of want in this life to not fear and to be safe? Isn’t it a comfort to know that God is right beside us taking care of everything? We really shouldn’t worry about anything because God has been there ahead of us. He has already prepared the answer or answers for us because he loves us.

          James reminds us to be patient as we wait for the Lord to come again. Just as a farmer puts the seeds into the ground and then waits for the rain and the sun to cause the seed to burst and plants to grow so should we wait patiently for God’s plan to blossom and bear fruit.

          What did the psalmist say today, “Blessed are those whose help is in the God of Jacob, and whose hope is in the Lord their God.” Our God is faithful, forever. This God who created everything we see has it all taken care of.  God is watching out for everyone, everywhere even as we wait.

          So, the good news for us today is that God is here with us as we wait. He’s always been here. He was with us last week as we discerned his Word for us. He will walk with us as we journey through this next year toward Advent 2014.

          In the meantime God has work for us to do. Some of which is telling our own faith story, maybe to each other, in the beginning, and then to our friends who may question why we go to worship every Sunday.

          Last week one of things we felt God leading us to do, or reminding us that we need to keep doing, is to make disciples. 

          As disciples are made God’s word, and His love, gets to more and more folks and they learn about God’s kingdom right here in this very place. And as more and more people join us in telling the story of God’s love for the world in Jesus Christ we may one day actually experience real peace on earth.

          In the meantime we will continue to wait for the Lord, Jesus Christ, to come again and make everything new. What a day that will be. Thanks be to God for his grace. Amen.