Darn! You would think being a priest and all I could remember how the Bible stories go. But the first lesson in today's Daily Office readings seemed new to me. When Joshua finally got ready to lead the people into the Promised Land, they faced a Jordan river that was overflowing its bank. No problem! The God who parted the Red Sea also held the flow of the river at bay, and they crossed on dry ground.
Unless you are one of those rare people who remembers everything you ever read, returning to Bible passages will usually give you a fresh experience each time you do it. Even if you remember the story, new details will catch your attention. It is not happenstance which details newly pop for you. The Holy Spirit uses our engagement with Scripture to connect with each of us as needed in our circumstances.
Reading these reflections tells you what popped for me, but going directly to the Scriptures on the Mission St. Clare website is like opening your own Zoom session with the Holy Spirit, where your needs drive the conversation.
Open that conversation by being curious. Today I was curious about how the parting of the Jordan River was different from the parting of the Red Sea. At the Red Sea, all the people were afraid. But a new generation faced the Jordan River, and there is no report of any fear. They had learned to fully trust God.
So, stay curious and pray for trust!
Pastor Kathleen Kelly,
Interim Rector
Joshua passing the River Jordan with the Ark of the Covenant
, by Benjamin West, 1800, oil on wood.
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