Through the letter box, Worship Service, Sunday 10 May

Worship
You may not know the tune to this Elevation Worship song, but reflect on the words as your worship to God today, for he has never failed us yet.

Walking around these walls
I thought by now they’d fall
But You have never failed me yet
Waiting for change to come
Knowing the battle’s won
For You have never failed me yet

Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I’m still in Your hands
This is my confidence, You’ve never failed me yet

I know the night won’t last
Your Word will come to pass
My heart will sing Your praise again
Jesus, You’re still enough
Keep me within Your love
My heart will sing Your praise again

Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I’m still in Your hands
This is my confidence, You never failed me yet

Bible Reading: Philippians 1:3-11

Sermon on the Mat: Carrying on to completion
The song above starts with a reference to Joshua walking the Israelites round the walls of Jericho: a powerfully defended city that they needed to conquer in order to take the land God had promised them. Joshua was told by an angel that the Israelites should walk round the walls every day for 6 days, and they did so, in silence apart from the trumpeters. On the last day, they walked round the wall 7 times, then they all shouted and the walls fell down (see Judges 6).

I always admire Joshua for sticking to his instructions so clearly. I can picture the residents of Jericho, standing on the walls, watching, teasing, shouting abuse as the army simply walked around. Maybe some of the Israelite soldiers went up to Joshua at the end of the day, and asked if he was sure this was what they were supposed to be doing. It all seemed so strange. But Joshua knew what God had said.

If Joshua had led his people round for 5 days and then decided it was pointless, nothing was happening, then Jericho wouldn’t have fallen. Whether it took that much marching to destabilise the walls, or whether the Israelites just needed to be that obedient to God, I don’t know. But they had to bide their time and do as God asked. Even if they didn’t understand. Even if it seemed crazy. Even if they’d been pleading with God to act for days or weeks or months.

We all have times where we have to hold on to the knowledge that God is almighty, that He is with us, even if change is taking longer than we ever hoped or imagined. This may be particularly true for some of us at the minute.

But we can be sure that God sees and knows and has our best interests at heart. As Paul tells us in Philippians 1:6, ‘being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion’. When we said yes to Jesus and committed to following Him the best we can, that was the beginning of our salvation. God will complete that; He will continue to work in and through us until we join Him in heaven (and maybe even after that, who knows!). That doesn’t mean life will be easy. Sometimes our Jericho will not fall, or we will have to trudge round it day after week after month, waiting for release. But God is at work in us, gently stretching our trust in Him, building up our faith, pouring His grace and love into our lives.

So however hard you are finding life at the minute, remember that God is faithful. And He delights in us. As another song puts it, ‘You didn’t want heaven without us.’ God sent Jesus to defeat death so

that we can live forever with Him. We are on an eternal journey with God, and as Bishop Tom Wright says, ‘what God begins, he completes.’

Prayer
Thank you Father that you walk with us each and every day, whether we are busy or bored, conscious of you or not.
Help me to trust you and to seek your wisdom and grace,
that I may be an inspiration to others.
And fill me with the peace, your peace, that swallows my worries
and quietens my heart. Amen.

Prayer and Reflection

Paul starts his letter to the church in Philippi by thanking God for the Philippians.
Who would you like to thank God for?
What is it about them that makes you grateful?
Can you pray Paul’s prayer of Philippians 1:9-11 for your friends, your church, yourself?

Please continue to pray for key workers and those making decisions about the next steps for our country and our world.