And I've seen the promised land.
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord23456789 spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying, ‘My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory. No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’ - Joshua 1:1-9 (NRSV)
I know I said I had posted my last on the election, and this one really isn't about the election, but it is.
I spent All Saints Sunday in Baltimore at a Lutheran church with an overwhelmingly African-American congregation. I am studying this church for a class at The LTS, and truly enjoy worshiping there. The service went around 2.5 hours, and you would have never known it. The church uses a standard Lutheran litergy, but with a Gospel flavor in music and style. For example, instead of the traditional "For All the Saints" at the end of the service, we had a rollicking version of "When the Saints Go Marchin' In."
The Pastor's sermon was on the text above. The church had a series of sermons based on readings from Exodus, and that series ended last Sunday. The sermon focused on a new leader taking over. A leader who was annointed and appointed. A leader who was elected and selected. A leader of courage and wisdom who would lead his people into the Promised Land, into a new and different time.
This was the text that Martin Luther King used as a basis for his "I've been to the mountaintop" speech he gave in Memphis on April 3, 1968; the day before he was murdered. Joshua was taking over the leadership of the people of Israel because Moses, who led them for 40 years, was not going to take the people into the Promised Land. Joshua took over as leader because Moses had died. Forty years after Dr. King uttered these, his last public words, we stand on the brink.
We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The pastor talked about the election, but he didn't mention any candidate or any position. But to be in that place, to be with that group of people on the verge of tomorrow and the possibilities and potential of the change it invites was a powerful experience.
I know I said I had posted my last on the election, and this one really isn't about the election, but it is.
I spent All Saints Sunday in Baltimore at a Lutheran church with an overwhelmingly African-American congregation. I am studying this church for a class at The LTS, and truly enjoy worshiping there. The service went around 2.5 hours, and you would have never known it. The church uses a standard Lutheran litergy, but with a Gospel flavor in music and style. For example, instead of the traditional "For All the Saints" at the end of the service, we had a rollicking version of "When the Saints Go Marchin' In."
The Pastor's sermon was on the text above. The church had a series of sermons based on readings from Exodus, and that series ended last Sunday. The sermon focused on a new leader taking over. A leader who was annointed and appointed. A leader who was elected and selected. A leader of courage and wisdom who would lead his people into the Promised Land, into a new and different time.
This was the text that Martin Luther King used as a basis for his "I've been to the mountaintop" speech he gave in Memphis on April 3, 1968; the day before he was murdered. Joshua was taking over the leadership of the people of Israel because Moses, who led them for 40 years, was not going to take the people into the Promised Land. Joshua took over as leader because Moses had died. Forty years after Dr. King uttered these, his last public words, we stand on the brink.
We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The pastor talked about the election, but he didn't mention any candidate or any position. But to be in that place, to be with that group of people on the verge of tomorrow and the possibilities and potential of the change it invites was a powerful experience.
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