New Life Sunday - Walking Stick...

September 6th, 2024

Earlier this week, I was all set to start a fire on the porch to chase away the chill. But when I looked at the fire thing-a-ma-jig, I discovered what I thought was a large stick. Turns out, it wasn’t a stick at all—it was a walking stick insect!

I hadn’t had coffee and wasn’t expecting an insect…but there it was staring back up at me all 5-6 inches of him.

Now I was caught between wanting some warmth from the fire and rescuing this insect. Not to toot my own horn or anything, But I did save the walking stick ?.

Every day we are faced with unexpected circumstances and subsequent choices and every day we do our best to navigate our lives staying true to our God-given purpose and values.

Sometimes the decisions are easy, like saving/rescuing/”offering life to” a helpless insect ? and other days are much more difficult, like risking our reputation for our beliefs or sacrificing our “wants” for God’s calling or simply taking some time to make a new friendship.

This Sunday, we begin a sermon series through the book of Jonah. Just as the “walking stick” forced me to decide, God’s command for Jonah to go to Ninevah also drew a line in the sand. Jonah’s attempt to dodge God’s call is a classic case of resistance.

As we start this series, consider what you might be holding onto that keeps you from embracing God’s guidance. Jonah’s journey from defiance to obedience shows us that even when we resist, God’s plans are still at work, redirecting us back to Him.

This Sunday, we will study from Jonah 1:1-16. The sermon is entitled, “Divine Redirection” and the point is that even at our worst, God is at work to redirect us back toward Himself.

I sure hope to see you on Sunday at 8:00, 9:15 (Full KidCity available), or 10:45 am (Full KidCity available), or you can watch the Livestream on YouTube (Like and Subscribe) or Facebook at 9:15 am. Additionally, we are also publishing our sermons on Spotify.

Have a great weekend,

Troy

P.S. Tomorrow, Sunday, September 8, New Life Connect Group Leaders are hosting an expo outside the church. This is a time to learn more about how you can join a connect group community.