My first blog for 2017

Happy New Year, reader!  For the initial blog of 2017, I want to share with you that Joshua 1 has gripped me of late.  The beginning verses of this chapter read, “After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide, “Moses my servant is dead.  Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them – to the Israelites” (verses 1-2).

 

You see the context.  The children of Israel are on the brink of entering the Promised Land, but their leader, Moses, had passed away.  So now the baton was about to be passed.  A new leader was going to take on the monumental task of leading the Israelites.  Joshua was going to face the task of being Moses’ successor.  Joshua probably felt an immense weight, pressure, and stress.  I say this because of the words that God communicated to Joshua.  Check out these words:

“No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life.  As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.  Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.  Be strong and very courageous…Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:6-7, 9; italics mine).

God instructed Joshua to “be strong and courageous” multiple times.  God was using repetitious dialogue to emphasize a point.  Yes, Joshua was indeed going to take on a tremendous responsibility, but he needed to face this with courage.  Why?  Because God Himself was going to always be with him.  If you read through the rest of the book of Joshua, you will find that Joshua was successful in the role God called him to do, but it was God who kept His promise; He did some amazing feats throughout Joshua’s time of leadership.

Here’s the thing: you and I are not Joshua.  We are not called to do what Joshua did.  But perhaps God is calling us to do something that we feel inept and inadequate to do.  It would do us a lot of good to hear the word of the Lord: “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  What a word for us as we begin 2017!

Kevin