The world has never seen anything like this. Plans wrecked, sickness wreaking havoc, entire countries sent into exile. Oh… you thought I was talking about the last six months or so. I might be, but I also could be referring to the 13th century BCE and the events of the book in the Hebrew Bible that is the Exodus. God’s people, the Israelites, eventually make it to the Promised Land from the bondage of slavery at the hand of Pharaoh. I say eventually because in-between they spend 40 years in the wilderness. Their freedom comes only after the journey through the wilderness.

You may feel like you are in the wilderness. There are many good reasons to feel that way; the COVID-19 pandemic, racial unrest and injustice in our communities and nation, navigating home schooling and hybrid schedules, isolation, economic and job-related concerns, events that give us life being postponed or cancelled. The Church faces the challenge of discerning what ministry looks like in the wilderness.

We can be tempted to go back. We are willing to go back to things that do not give us life as long as they are familiar. The Israelites were tempted to go back to captivity because they know it. We can’t go back. The promised land that God is calling us to is forward. It is uncertain but God’s promise to us is that it is good.

What do we do in the wilderness? How do we live in uncertain times? How can we make the wilderness of time of spiritual nurture and growth?

This is what we hope to discover together during this series. I look forward to worshiping with you over the next four weeks and I hope you will invite someone to worship with you.

Grace and peace,

Danny

September 13- Hurry Up and Wait Exodus 12:1-4

September 20- Rules to Live By Exodus 20:1-21

September 27- God’s Mobile Plan Exodus 25

October 4- Wherever You Go Exodus 33:12-19