Adjust Your Pace to God’s

Adjust Your Pace to God’s

By Pastor Gary Wayne

Just before the Israelites – about 2-3 million people - entered the promised land, God gave Joshua specific instruction as to how to move forward.

Notice in ver. 4 the last line – “for you have not passed this way before.”
I want to use this set of instructions for us as we start our move into the year 2026. We haven’t been here before. So, let’s pause and focus on God for how to proceed.

Joshua 3:1-4, 5,14-17

When you see the Priests carrying the ark of the covenant, you need to start following it. But they were to stay about ½ mile away.
What would be some obvious practical reasons for this?

If I follow too far behind, I won’t be able to see where He is.
And if I follow too close, I will over run His pace.
In the margin of my bible, I have written here the instructions: “Adjust your pace to God’s.”

Ver.5, 14-17
The day before they went into the promised land, God gave them these instructions.
“Sanctify yourselves.”
This was a process they had been taught and knew well.

The word sanctify = to consecrate, dedicate, prepare, set yourself apart for God.
It involved inner activity (confessing sin, focusing the heart) and outward actions (like washing clothes and keeping yourself from sin.)
They were to dedicate their will, time, and attention to God, not allowing themselves to be distracted by other things that would pull their attention from God.

As we step into this new year, I believe it is a good time to sanctify ourselves unto God.
Can I challenge you to spend some personal alone time in God’s presence, taking a fresh look at the condition of your heart? Confessing sin - Forgiving people - Spending time asking Him for direction as I navigate this new year.
I feel Gary need to pay attention to the things that distract me from what I know I want to do with God.

Pray this with me:
“God I dedicate myself to You, I set myself aside unto You, I sanctify myself again for you alone. I will serve no other god.”
“God are there things I give myself to, that distract me from You?”
Are there places you need to walk through forgiveness again?

In chapter 4, we find God also gave instructions for them – as they were in the process of crossing the river Jordan, they were to build two memorials from the stones they picked up in the middle of the river.
12 Stones placed in the middle of the Riverbed Jos 4:9
12 Stones taken to Gilgal where they stopped for the night. Jos. 4:3, 8

What is a memorial for? To help us remember. (4:6-7)

I would like for us to end our time today by taking a few moments and reflecting on what God has done for us last year.
In a sense, let’s build a vocal memorial to God to start this year together as a church family.

I want to take a moment and allow you to share miracles you witnessed last year.
Then let’s pray one sentence prayers, something like – “God, thank You for Your presence in 2025.”