By Pastor Ieisha Hawley
Lectionary reading for 3/25/2022: Psalm 32; Joshua 4:14-24; 2 Corinthians 5:6-15
Selected passage for reflection: Joshua 4:14-24
Read
Joshua 4:14-24 NRSV
14 On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him, as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life.
15 The Lord said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant,[a] to come up out of the Jordan.” 17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” 18 When the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before.
19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 Those twelve stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal, 21 saying to the Israelites, “When your children ask their parents in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea,[b] which he dried up for us until we crossed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, and so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”
Reflect
Let It Fill You!
Let divine favor fill you. Joshua was exalted by God and promoted in front of those he led. This power dynamic catapulted the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. If my prophetic imagination helps you to see, your ears turn into eyes to see the mighty squall wind that paved a path to usher the presence of the Holy spirit to fill the earth. This majestical mist unveils the hidden path to your next place on your journey. This memorable moment becomes edged in your mind, heart, and spirit that serves as a reminder of the omnipotent power of God when your path is not clear.
Respond
Make your contemplative practice a priority. Close your eyes, breathe, and exhale. Fall in the arms of your mother and father above. Receive the power of the Holy Spirit.
Rest
Creator of all things revive our souls to openly embrace our next place in you. God of our nowness prepare us for our next place in you. Asé.
About the Author
Pastor Ieisha Hawley is an ordained Covenant Lead Pastor at Love Church Edgewater, NJ, and a Prison Staff Chaplain at Rikers Island East Elmhurst NY. A 2015 Masters of Divinity graduate of Howard University School of Divinity, Pastor Ieisha is an anointed, vibrant, and powerful woman of God, called to be hands and feet in the earth. Connect at www.pastorieisha.com.