Hello Church Family,
I hope that you are having a great Monday and a wonderful start to your week. I know the big news around our area and certainly us here at HHBC is the ability for us to reopen the church building. It is exciting and overwhelming at the same time. I know these last two months have been very difficult and hard for us not to be in the building together. It is amazing how God has blessed in these weeks and how amazing God’s people have been. Even though we have to keep children’s ministry closed down for a few more weeks, it is exciting that we can worship together again in the sanctuary.
I wanted to share a challenge with you this morning based on the sermon that Pastor Josh shared yesterday in the service. His powerful message challenged us to examine ourselves and make sure that we are ready to enter back into this time of worship and growth as the church reopens its door. I love the illustration that he shared of a teen-ager getting their license, be given a new car, but yet told they have to wait just a little longer before they drive. It is like the people of Israel who had crossed the Jordan River and spent years in the wilderness now having to wait just a little longer before they enter the promise land. They had to take the Passover meal and seal their covenant with the Lord before God was ready for them to enter Canaan.
God continues this period of waiting as He meets personally with Joshua. Joshua 5:16 “The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.” This verse further illustrates the idea of a need for an examination before entering a new level of growth with the Lord. You see Joshua was commanded to take off his sandals before he stepped on holy ground. Just imagine what Joshua’s sandals looked like. They were certainly disgusting, probably covered with animal dung, worn, tattered, and dirty. These sandals represented to filth that Joshua had been through and now he is commanded to take these off, because he is entering holy ground.
We are about to enter Holy ground. After being kept away from God’s house for the past eight weeks, we now have a chance to reassemble. The idea though is not that the holy ground is our church building, but more the idea that God has something new for us. He has prepared us in this time of waiting to be more bold, more motivated, and more committed to reach the lost in our area. First we must take off our sandals which represent the habits, the sins, the distractions that have held us back. Today as we prepare for the reopening, take off your sandals and prepare yourself for what God has for us.
Have a great week and we will see you on Sunday.
Mike Summy
Children's Pastor