"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 1:9
The turning of
the page so to speak in the Israelites flight to the Promised Land.
Moses had passed away without crossing over the river Jordan and experiencing
the joys and abundance the Lord had promised. Joshua was now to take the
reins and lead the children of God into the land God had prepared for them.
Just as Joshua needed to hear from the Lord that day, as I’m sure the emotions
were high and the task at hand seemed overwhelming, we need to hear it as we
face the challenges in our lives.
God’s promise was clearly articulated to Joshua on that day. Joshua 1:5, “No one can stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you.” - I’m sure Joshua took that to heart. I mean if the God of the Universe told me that no one could ever defeat me, I’d be walking pretty tall and confident. Regardless of what challenge he came upon or who threatened his life or his purpose, he knew without a doubt that God was his protector. But it required Joshua to be very strict in following the law handed down to Moses, and to meditate on it day and night.
How much more so are you in need of God’s promise to walk with you daily and be your protector? I surely have fallen at moments in my life when I was fearful and in need of a certain, strong provider. Drawing on the faith that only through God can a situation be resolved, forces one to reflect on His promises to us, similar to His promise to Joshua. Do you recall in Matthew 28:20, “…surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age.” These were the words from Jesus to His disciples to encourage them after His death and resurrection. This same spirit that was given to the disciples is available to you and I, if we so chose to accept and grab a hold of it. Also, I’m sure you’ve heard Paul’s words to the Hebrews, in the 13th chapter the 5th verse “… Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” The same claim from Joshua 1:5 is recalled here by Paul in his epistle to the Hebrew nation, not by co-incidence, but carefully thought out and perfectly structured to encourage them and us 2000 years later.
We need to hold true to these promises of Jesus Christ and those of His disciples recorded in the New Testament. God is our provider, our comforter, our strong tower and our protector. He will stand before us against all enemies and protect our rear from evil that might approach unseen. You can trust in God’s promises to His children just as Joshua did as he led them into the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey. Pass them on to your children, and their children. The God of the Universe is with you everywhere you go and will not forsake you.
God’s promise was clearly articulated to Joshua on that day. Joshua 1:5, “No one can stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you.” - I’m sure Joshua took that to heart. I mean if the God of the Universe told me that no one could ever defeat me, I’d be walking pretty tall and confident. Regardless of what challenge he came upon or who threatened his life or his purpose, he knew without a doubt that God was his protector. But it required Joshua to be very strict in following the law handed down to Moses, and to meditate on it day and night.
How much more so are you in need of God’s promise to walk with you daily and be your protector? I surely have fallen at moments in my life when I was fearful and in need of a certain, strong provider. Drawing on the faith that only through God can a situation be resolved, forces one to reflect on His promises to us, similar to His promise to Joshua. Do you recall in Matthew 28:20, “…surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age.” These were the words from Jesus to His disciples to encourage them after His death and resurrection. This same spirit that was given to the disciples is available to you and I, if we so chose to accept and grab a hold of it. Also, I’m sure you’ve heard Paul’s words to the Hebrews, in the 13th chapter the 5th verse “… Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” The same claim from Joshua 1:5 is recalled here by Paul in his epistle to the Hebrew nation, not by co-incidence, but carefully thought out and perfectly structured to encourage them and us 2000 years later.
We need to hold true to these promises of Jesus Christ and those of His disciples recorded in the New Testament. God is our provider, our comforter, our strong tower and our protector. He will stand before us against all enemies and protect our rear from evil that might approach unseen. You can trust in God’s promises to His children just as Joshua did as he led them into the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey. Pass them on to your children, and their children. The God of the Universe is with you everywhere you go and will not forsake you.
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