And so we enter the finishing straight….of this race at least. We’re not all liveing in the full expression of God’s flourishing yet, so there is still more work to do (until Jesus returns!)
On tuesday night in Kingston Joshua 5:8-12 was shared and I think it’s really pertinent for what we pray today:
8 And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. 9 Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.’ So the place has been called Gilgal to this day.10 On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. 11 The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. 12 The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.
After God removed the shame of their captivity through circumcision the Israelites celebrated the Passover. On Tues night we spent time in repentance for where circumstances, disappointments, delays and distractions had become louder voices in our minds that God’s voice. Repentance is such a beautiful gift from God because it sets us free to flourish in him.
After marking the passover the manna stopped appearing on a daily basis. Imagine for 40 years, you’ve been living on this food that appears every morning. For many people it’s all they’ve known. It’s a supernatural provision which must have been mind blowing. but it’s also a ‘hand-to-mouth’ existence. They only ever had that days food (except the sabbath). You could view it as total dependence on God but they couldn’t build a nation living like that. It was survival not flourishing. Remember it happened becasue they were under God’s discipline. Deuteronomy 8 tells us that God did it to discipline them and to test what was in their hearts, to humble them and to teach them to honour him even when he blessed them in the promised land. I know I’ve had to learn a lot about trusting God’s provision in the last few years……and last few months.
From that point on, living in what God had promised them, they ate the produce of the land, still provided by God but by less directly supernatural means.
Micah 4:4 describes what God has planned for them
Everyone will sit under their own vine
and under their own fig-tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
for the Lord Almighty has spoken.
This is part of the picture of flourishing God has spoken over KingsGate, a picture of Shalom.
Tonight we’ll be speaking words of life and faith over every area of peoples lives and our lives together as church. Engaging with Christine’s installation, with budding flowers representing the things we are believing God will flourish, pouring the watering can of prayers and declarations over them to prophesy abundant life. As we flourish as individuals we will also flourish collectively and vice versa so lets speak life today over those areas we want to see God bring transformation.
Looking forward to praying with you tonight.
