Way of Holiness

Yesterday during the worship service, we focused on the idea of the “Way of Holiness” from Isaiah 35. It is interesting to me how many times the metaphor of a trip is used to describe our lives. Our desire to draw near to our Creator God can often best be understood as a journey. For the people of Israel, drawing near to God was a literal journey that they undertook as they travelled up to the Temple in Jerusalem.

An important part of this image is that a journey isn’t something that we can do all at once. It is an on-going and everyday process. If we hike a trail, we recognize that it is step-by-step, one foot after the other. When we begin to follow Jesus, that’s an important moment, but what is more important is that we continue that momentum. That we continue that journey along the way. Holiness isn’t something that we simply receive, it is something that we learn through the decisions we make on a daily basis in our lives.

Continue to think of ways that we can encourage one another and pray for one another. All of us face obstacles. It’s good to know that as a church family we are rooting one another on, rather than standing back to see one another fail. We all need to help and encouragement of a community to be able to succeed.

Remember that we are responsible for the ice cream social at the Danvers Band Concert next Sunday evening. I hope to see you there!

God bless, Brian

Scripture readings for next Sunday Isaiah 36:4-10—What is Sennacherib’s letter saying?

Isaiah 37:14-20—What can we learn from Hezekiah’s response to Sennacherib’s threats?

Mark 11:20-25—What is the relationship between faith and prayer?

1 John 5:13-21—How does knowing the things that this passage present give us confidence in God?