I am going to admit my personal bias now - I love the book of Joshua - it's my middle name, this book, this story of God leading his people into the promised land is literally where my name comes from - that is the reason my parents gave it to me. So I have always had an affinity for it, but it also seems very timely for us right now.
The book begins right as Moses has died. The entire nation of Israel is in a moment of great upheaval. Their leader, the person who had literally been the go between with God for them had died and it was time for not only a new leader, but it was finally time to go into the land that God had promised to them. That task fell to Joshua - he had been right there with Moses for so many amazing things already, he had been trained as best someone could be for the task given to him, and yet when God comes to him in the first few verses of this book - it isn't to talk about strategy or logistics, it isn't to talk about how qualified (or not) Joshua might be for what is ahead. But God gives him essentially two things to remember as he steps into to fill Moses shoes.
The first is to be strong and courageous. Three times just between v.6-9 of the first chapter God says this, and that comes after God tells Joshua why he can be strong and courageous in verses 3-5 - but especially the last part of verse 5 where he says "as I was with Moses so I will be with you." The reason Joshua can be strong and courageous has nothing to do with Joshua. It has everything to do with God. Joshua 1:9 hangs on the wall of my bedroom - in fact Joni and I both have a cross stitch of that verse which were made by the same woman and sent to us as graduation presents when we finished high school. And in that verse God sums up why he begins by repeatedly telling Joshua to be strong and courageous. It says "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BE WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO". Obviously I added the all caps, but I want you to see why we don't have to be afraid, why we don't live in fear. It is not because there aren't things to be afraid of. It isn't because we can handle anything that might come our way. We don't have to be afraid because God goes with us.
Now there might have been a very logical question that just popped into your head - how do I know God goes with me - how do I know that I am going somewhere He wants me to go? Well that brings up the second thing God mentions - in v.7-8 - that we need to be careful to obey all the law that Moses gave them. That they should keep it always on their lips, that they should meditate on it day and night. Do you want to know that God is with you during this chaotic time in our world? Do you want to be strong and courageous and not live in fear because you know God is with you? Do you want to have the peace that Paul talks about in Philippians 2 - a peace that surpasses understanding? You find it in God, you find it by getting into His Word, by having it in your heart and mind - by meditating on it, reading it, studying it. One of the most graphic, most disgusting, but also most useful illustrations I have ever heard for "meditating" was to compare it to a cow chewing the cud. Cows have multiple stomachs, and they chew on that food, they swallow it down, digest some of it - then spit it back up and chew on it some more, then swallow it down to digest more of it. That's what we should do with the Word of God - chew on it, digest some, then chew some more and get to digest more - over and over.
Are you feeling uneasy today? Are you feeling anxious? Do you need to be reminded - like Joshua did - to be strong and courageous? The answer isn't found in summoning your own courage or resolve. The answer is found in digging into God's Word - letting Him be your courage and your strength. Love you guys - see you soon.
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