There are some moments in our journey that stay with us all of the days of our lives. Some are life-changing and so important and others are mere snapshots of everyday living. But these memories are so clear. Our senses are heightened. We lose our breath. And time stands still.

As many of you know I took a lot of salsa classes in seminary. At the end of the beginner class, I was comfortable with basic footwork. One, two, three. One. Two. Three. My friend, Mike, and I took intermediate class and learned some basic combinations and a little arm flair. We decided to take the advanced class and were excited to learn a bit more. The advanced class was different because all of the students had an understanding of the basic steps. The professional dancers would demonstrate and then after they were finished, each of them would ask an unsuspecting student to dance.

One evening, the male instructor who I called Suave (because he was suave) walked across the room. I like to think our eyes met and he walked towards me. The crowd of students parted and I glanced behind me to make sure that there wasn’t another girl. There wasn’t. He was coming to dance WITH ME. Now I was quickly reviewing the steps in my head, and telling myself that I would NOT fall on my face, when he stepped toward me and extended his very graceful hand to me. He said, "Miss, would you like to dance?"

At that moment, time stood still. I could feel the collar on the back of my neck. My heart was beating in my throat. I have to admit the scent of his cologne was a bit distracting. I knew the steps but thought momentarily of the women who had politely declined, "No thanks, ask another please." But you know me; I am kind of a "jump in with both feet" kind of gal. So I took his hand and took the first step and the second step and all of the steps required to dance- not perfectly, but with passion. And time stood still.

There are moments we remember, big, small, insignificant and important. Let’s hear about Joshua’s moment were time stands still. Joshua 6:1-20. Our text is a wonderful reminder of the faith shown by Joshua and the provision of our Lord. The Lord gives Joshua direction and Joshua and his people follow and ultimately the city of Jericho is delivered into their hands.

The Lord gives Joshua direction. Joshua knows that the Lord has been faithful. The Lord has delivered the people and promised the land. This is a relationship of a God and His people that has spanned not only Joshua’s lifetime but generations before. The Lord’s directions are specific. He tells them to march around the city, once days for six days and to have the priests carry horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, they are to march around the city seven times and then shout.

Joshua and his people do as the Lord requires. They march around the city, once days for six days and have the priests carry horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, they march around the city seven times and then shout. The yell is a call to battle and a shout of religious joy.

The city of Jericho is delivered into their hands and the walls came tumbling down. The people devoted the city to the Lord. They put the gold and silver in the treasury of the Lord’s house. They saved Rahab and her family because she had hid the spies of Joshua. Everything went as the Lord had said.

For us today, we must look to the story of Joshua and Jericho to see what God would have for us. I believe that the Lord still gives us specific instruction. We receive that instruction perhaps differently than Joshua. We may hear it through prayer or through the Word. We may hear it through the mouth of a friend. As a body and church, we have specific instructions. We are called to go and make disciples of all nations. We are called to be disciples ourselves. Whatever God is calling us to individually and corporately, I can not say. But God is calling us to something different than what we are settling for.

We are called to follow His plan. It may be unexpected. Think about the warriors in Joshua’s army and those defending the city walls of Jericho. They are skilled warriors in the art of battle and can’t you hear them responding and grumbling to Joshua’s repetition of God’s instructions. "OK, men, here is what we are going to do. First, we are going to walk quietly around the city walls and then we are going to sit at camp." "WHAT?!? Walk and sit?" God may be calling us to do the unexpected. God may be calling us to something that is terrifying. We may be afraid to fail. We may be afraid to succeed? But do we step out in faith?

We must take that first step and second and that are required, looking back to the ways that God has provided for us and at all the promises of faith that we claim. We must step out and remember what we have to gain.

I often say that one of the things I love about being a pastor and woman of faith is the opportunity to look at how everyday things and theology intersect. I do that through media and books and I believe that God can be revealed in ordinary things. Many of you saw the Indiana Jones movies when they came out. The final movie focuses on a young Indiana Jones and his father’s quest for the Holy Grail. This chalice of Christ holds the secret of immortality and there is a puzzle that they decipher to get to the actual house of the grail. He survives the first test and finds himself at the edge of a great chasm. His father is injured and Indiana knows that the chalice is his only hope. But he is at the edge and knows that he may fail. Because his desire to save his father is more powerful than his fear of failure (and ultimately death), he steps out in faith across the chasm. He steps out in faith and finds there is a bridge that is invisible until you are on it. He composes himself and rushes for his prize.

We are all challenged with making decisions. DO we stay in the comfort of the known reality or do we step out in faith? Will we take the arm extended to us and dance, not perfectly but with passion? Will we step into the unknown- seeking the unique gift of life eternal? Will we march and blow horns for as long as God should call us, claiming the promises of our faithful Lord?

I know God will surprise. God has this great adventure and my guess is that in a week or month or year, we can gather together again and tell the stories of when time stood still. That is, if you and I together will step out in faith.