Joshua 1
We read in Joshua, "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." (1:9) After God's faithful servant, Moses, died, God called upon Joshua—another faithful one—to lead His people and to be strong and courageous in doing so. Oh, and lead he would—the land would be vast; from Lebanon to the great river Euphrates—all of the land of the Hittites, all of the way to the Great Sea. And the promise would be great, too—just as the Lord was with Moses, He would be with the man Joshua. He was told by the Lord Himself, "...be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein..." (vss. 7,8) In other words, life—in the service of God—would be a battle, but we should always remember that the battle belongs to the Lord. It would be fought in His strength, His wisdom, and all to His glory. And in Him will be the victory!
The people, as well as Joshua himself, said they were willing to be led by God. Joshua reminded them that the Lord will provide, to everyone who wants it, a place of true rest. God will, and does, most definitely provide. In fact, He has already provided for our Eternal Home with Him in Jesus Christ and His Cross. If we—if I—will just take Him at His Word—believe and trust Him; seek Him with all of our lives; submit to His will and ways, He will be our everything! God has a "Promised Land" HE
WANTS to give us. If we will just turn from our ways of death, to His way of eternal, everlasting life with Him, the victory at the end of the battle will be seen; will be experienced; will be ours. The people responded, "...All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as He was with Moses. Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage." (vss. 16-18) Wow—imagine that—they promised that they would obey their new spiritual leader even as they did Moses. That should not be much of a comfort to Joshua in that the people were almost perpetually rebellious and complaining. But it must begin with the promise, and then, as God changes the heart, He changes the life as well. I need this! This has spoken strongly to me! God's promise is always true. He is with us; we just have to make sure that we are with HIM! May the Lord be with you! Merry Christmas!
~ Nancy Faust
