Joshua 1:9 I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua was the successor to Moses in leading the people into the Promised Land when Moses died before the entry. The book of Joshua begins with Moses' farewell instructions to Joshua and the verse above is the very last line of that speech. These are Moses' parting words to Joshua: words to lift him up and encourage him in his leadership role for the people.
I love that Moses commands Joshua to be courageous: Moses commands him not to be frightened.... as if it were that easy. Don't be scared! I command you!
Sure Moses, no problem. Now I see the error of my ways.
So maybe it doesn't really work as a command; but if we think of these words as an encouragement they work a lot better. They work for us as well, even if we are not trying to lead people in conquering a land God promised them. You have no need to be afraid, no matter what is facing you today. Remember that the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and newsletter. Worship returns to normal schedule this weekend with worship at 8:30 and 11 and Education Hour between at 9:45.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment