What would you be doing if you were not doing what you are now? Yes it’s a rhetorical question, so one which I am not anticipating an answer for…. But.

One of the things I should like to do is to be an explorer. I love going to different countries to see their way of life, their way of being. I don’t mean I would like to take up residence there but just the opportunity to see something new.

Yet for us all 2002 is a new journey – a journey into the unknown. Time moves on, it doesn’t go back I will not be younger tomorrow, I can’t hold the moment and freeze it like a pause button on the video.

For the people of God, in Joshua’s day that was true for them. They had spent years in the wilderness waiting for the time when they could enter the Promised Land, and now the time had come.

The desert had become familiar but they were to move on.

There had been mourning – mourning for lost opportunities, mourning for Moses their great spiritual leader who would enter into the very presence of God and God would talk to him. Moses who God had called to lead His people out of Egypt the land of slavery and lead them to the place of God’s promise. Yet Moses too had been disobedient and had died without entering the land, he saw it but did not enter it.

Our personal and corporate history will no doubt be filled with happy times but also painful ones. There may be regrets – we can not recapture the past but we can shape the present and the future.

I wonder whether you have ever been tempted to follow your nose to get somewhere. Now I do have a fairly big nose so that helps, but I have to confess that at times it would have been far quicker to look at the map or to check out the directions beforehand.

But when none are given and the way is uncertain that is just a bit scary.

I am fascinated by water and if you have looked at the Messenger you will see that we are going to have a mini series that relates to it.

I’m fascinated by its potential for fun, whether that be for swimming, floating, skiing, sailing upon or whatever. It is powerful and countries like Iceland receive so much of their power from it.

It’s beautiful whether the see is calm or whether it’s choppy, or a river flowing through the countryside, that has carved its path.

But water can be dangerous - you can be overpowered by it; you can drown in it.

The People of God were to cross the River Jordan

With that rate of descent you will understand for the whole nation of Israel to cross the river when it was flowing fast and they were crossing with the viewpoint of staying so all the livestock had to go etc., this was no mean task. The spring rains had also come which affected the depth and the speed of the river. In short to cross this river a miracle was needed.

That was to lead them into their inheritance, but it was not easy to cross, It was an uncertain path.

Have you yet discovered how unpredictable the world can be, whether natural events or man made? An uncertain way. Some of the time I feel guidance would just be so much more simple if God would just visibly make himself present among us and tells us all about it. I think the future successes would be a great encouragement. Yet what of the troubles, would they paralyse us? God reveals to us that which we need to know or that which he wants us to know. Some things are yet to be discovered other things are going to remain a mystery.

I was reading an article this week on spiritual pain and one definition by a person called Saunders described it as

"A desolate feeling of meaninglessness"

The way for the people of Israel was uncertain but it was not one without meaning.

As we journey into this New Year we focus upon the core value of Sharing the good news.

The good news provides meaning, we have to recognise some people are unchurched but aware the Church has been around for two thousand years. Others are dechurched because of their experience but Jesus is the bringer of good news. He can provide meaning and can meet people in their spiritual pain.

In our uncertainty we can be sure that year will present challenges/opportunities for us to discover more of the heart of God.

Israel’s reason for moving was because God had spoken, long ago he had promised this land to them and now was the time for them to make it their own.

Although the way was uncertain and for us that can also be true, there are navigational aids.

1. The scriptures which we not only need, but they need to be read and rightly understood. Having a map without being able to read it is not a lot of value. 2 Tim 3.16 reminds us that all scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness….so that we can be equipped for every good work.

2. We can pray – seeking God for his purpose in the belief that we have a God who does want to communicate with us.

This Friday – If My People and the Night of Prayer, provides an opportunity at the beginning of a New Year to spend time together with God.

2. We have the people of God – God can reveal himself to us. That is the reason we have Church Meetings in the belief that God meets with His people. Yet it is not only then but also whenever we meet, God is present.
3. With this -We have our experience – God had trained Joshua for the task, we have things that God has taught us that can be put to good use.

Most importantly we have a Navigator.

For the people of Israel they were to follow the chest- the Ark of the Covenant. Known also as the ark of the Lord, the ark of God, the ark of testimony.

It was a rectangular box made of acacia wood 1.1 metres long and 0.7 metres wide and high, approx. 4’x 2.5’x2. 5’.

This was covered in gold and carried by poles. The lid or the mercy seat was a gold plate with two cherubs with outstretched wings.

It contained the 10 commandments, Ex 25.16,21, also a pot of manna and Aaron’s rod Hebs 9.4-5 .

It was the object or the place which was associated with the presence of God, and within the Holy Tent it was the place where God revealed his will to his servants Moses Ex 25.

It became a symbol of God’s presence with His people.

So the priests were to step into the river with the ark and continue to cross. The people were to follow behind, that way they would be led into their future, their inheritance but they had to follow, and being holy they had to keep their distance from it. They would be led to the other side of the river the uncertain way would become a known way because the chest was going before them. God was leading his people on.

For us, our confidence is not in the chest but in God Himself. Our confidence is in Jesus who is the Saviour and Lord. He has given to those who know Him the Holy Spirit to live within us and he promises to be present when we meet together.

Jesus referred to Himself as the Good Shepherd who leads his sheep John 10.3, the Shepherd who is so committed he will lay down his own life.

In John 14.6 he reveals himself as the way – the way to the Father.

But we need to understand this, we will be travelling through unchartered waters and it takes a miracle to get to the other side. WE CANNOT EFFECTIVELY LIVE THE Christian life in our own strength. We cannot add one person into God’s Kingdom; we cannot make renewal and revival happen they are works of God’s grace. God needs to make it happen, but we do need to follow.

Possible illustration of a guided dive, someone who is an able diver and one who knows the dive site and the tide times its effects etc, who leads/assists another diver..

Jesus knows all this.

In this new journey, God goes with us.

In the uncertain Journey he knows the way.

And to overcome what we encounter on that journey Jesus goes with us and it’s in his footsteps we need to tread.

So take time out to establish God’s priorities for your life.

I was so encouraged by our Christmas services, by the way so many people were involved in making them happen and helping other people to be a part of them.

2002 presents a new challenge a challenge to truly to be the people of God to seek to live lives that mirror Jesus. To seek to discover more of God’s heart and for that to shape us and the Church family here.