Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 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. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 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.”
Heather from Graced by Christ asks us:
What’s your take on this passage? If you read through the whole chapter, or even the verse, did the Lord reveal something different to you? If not, has He ever directly commanded you (like me) not to fear? Have you ever been on one road and found that the Lord had been preparing you for a different one than you thought?
There is nothing that happens in your life without reason, there is no one that comes into your life without reason. I have had the privilege of being under some great teachers. Women who taught me how to be a good mother, women who taught me how to talk and pray to God, women who taught me how to be a good and Godly wife. I loved to learn under these women. In fact while learning I loved to joke and be the “clown” of the class. I enjoyed them immensely.
Suddenly life changed, most of these women are with Jesus right now. How could the Lord take these inspirations of my life away? I don’t know how to handle certain situations without their guidance. What will I do? Where will I turn?
I was scared. Then I became the mother, I became the woman leading other women in bible study, and now I am the woman giving advise to young mothers. I felt like Moses being asked to step first in the water before God parted the Red Sea. Many times problems would arise, situations came where I did not know what to do.
I inherited some chairs from one of my spiritual mentor’s and I can not tell you how many times I would just sit on the floor with my head in the chair crying because she was no long with me. I just wanted to feel her near, I wanted her wisdom and encouragement.
Don’t you think this is how Joshua felt for a bit? Here Moses, his lifelong spiritual mentor has passed away. And now God says, “it’s your turn”. You long for their wisdom, you long to ask for advice. But God gave you all those years before as training. You long to be the student where it is not so scary. Take note Joshua was trained by doing the small things for Moses. In the small things he was then trained for something big. What small thing are you doing that God has you in training for?
Fear. You bet. But God calls Joshua to be bold to be strong and courageous. Here we see a weakness in Joshua. Many times the Lord calls us to do things we don’t think we are capable to do. He does this so we rely on His power and not our own, therefore God receives all the glory and not ourselves.
In return, God promises in life we will be able to deal with anything, because it takes full advantage of God’s presence and promises. And He reminds Joshua I am with you wherever you go.
I don’t know about you, but changing into a leader from a student can be down right frightening. But with God’s power and his promises, you can not go wrong.
Most things in my life I seemed to have approached with the feeling of incompetency…yet God made it all possible…even as I fought Him every step of the way…mostly out of fear. I am always in awe how exploring just a few passages in the Bible opens up a floodgate of reflection for me and the numreous opportunities that I have to be faithful and obedient. I get so overwhelmed by it sometimes.
Oh I agree with what you have said so ery much. For years I longed for a mentor and couldn’t find one, xcept for Elisabeth Elliot via her books and radio program. Then gradually instead of Him giving me a mentor that I could sit and have coffee with He started giving me ladies to mentor, some of whom I an sit and whave coffee with but most of whom read what I write, plus He has finally given me a group of mentors and peers, in the same capacity. I have only just realized, as I write this, that He was training me in the way He was planning to have me mentor! Duh!
Good post. My mother passed away in 2004, and it was really difficult having to make my own decisions without relying on her advice. It is so difficult when those we love and rely on pass on, but then you realize that we are those people for our children and others.
This reminds me of the section in the Daniel study when she points out how the absence of your resident “strong one” is a divine set-up for you to “step up.” I remember her saying that “circumstances may ordain that this is our time of weakness so that we can see the strength of God in us.”
It’s hard to go from being a young Ex. 33:11 Joshua in the tent (learning from Moses’ face-to-face meetings with God) to being the victorious Jos. 11 Joshua, leading the charge and claiming victory in the Lord’s name.
But, tent-time trains us for battle-time, doesn’t it? Oh, how I thank Him for the “Moses” mentors He’s sovereignly placed in my life.
Great post.
Amen, Laurel…I had been in several Bible studies – lead by men and women. When I was asked to lead a study myself, I was so scared that I almost canceled it. I had great teachers, who taught me to not lean on my own understand, but to let God’s Spirit lead me.
Joshua is, besides David, one of my favorite Old Testament ‘heroes’.
Looking forward following you ladies along your study of Joshua