Scripture:
Joshua 1
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 ancestors to give them.
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
“Only be strong and courageous!”
Reflection:
Have you ever felt confused about where you are at in this journey we call life? Maybe you are at a place where life is just hard and tomorrow seems more like a pathway into the fog than a well lit highway. The puzzle pieces before you don’t quite match and the goals and dreams you have had are now more fuzzy than ever. The mundane of each and every day feels like a treadmill that never goes anywhere, and you can’t find a way off.
These thoughts and more surely would have passed through Joshua’s mind as he grieved the death of his mentor and spiritual father, Moses. He was left with the responsibility to lead an entire nation that had settled into a place that was not their destiny and into a daily routine that was not what God had promised. What to do now? 40 years ago Joshua had a fire in his heart. The promised land was in sight. He was going to help Moses re-establish a nation for God’s glory. Everything was very clear 40 year ago. Yet today Joshua had the difficult process of reviving an old vision, stepping into the shoes of a legend, looking at an un-crossable river during a flood and then trying to motivate a people that were not ready to uproot their families, risk their way of life and become a nation of warriors.
Joshua stood at a crossroads moment. It was the end of one chapter of his life and the beginning of the next. When you stand on one side of the river and wonder how ever you will make it over to the other side, a word from God is the only thing that can rally your soul. A word from God is the only thing that can put context to the last chapter of your life and give you faith to cross over to the new vision or revive the vision of days gone by. There are days where everything changes because God speaks to us to be “strong and very courageous.”
“Be strong and courageous” was a prophetic call to Joshua to put his focus back on God who is the only and true author of each and every chapter of our lives. “ Be strong and courageous is where each chapter needs to begin. Believing that word and allowing it to fill our souls is how visions are renewed, promise lands are entered and new chapters begin. We are all one decision away from a completely different life…Only be Strong and Courageous! “Anything is possible if a person believes.” Mark 9:23.
Prayer
Jesus, be my strength and courage when my weakness and fears hold me back. May Amen.
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