Not that any day of the week can have courage, but it might be good this one day to practice being courageous, less fearful, and more hopeful. Doubtless, everywhere we look, there are reasons to fear. I don’t mean that we should put our heads in the sand. We need to know what’s going on and not be blind to conditions around us and in our country; what I do mean, is we are not to let them overwhelm us.
Sometimes, I feel like a boat on a stormy sea. However, no matter how high those waves or how loudly they roar, as long as they don’t get inside my small boat, I’ll be okay.
One of my favorite biblical characters is Joshua, the military commander of Moses. This man appeared to be fearless. He was always truthful, in spite of the unpopularity of truth. When Moses sent out spies to look over the Promised Land, Joshua and Caleb reported to Moses that the land could be taken immediately. However, the people were fearful and because of their fear, wandered in the wilderness for forty years.
After the death of Moses, Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land. What an awesome task and what a fearless leader. Why was he so fearless and so commanding that the people followed him? Who was this man who could actually step into the leadership role of Moses, man of God? With Joshua, as with Moses, there was no waivering. He believed in God and obeyed Him. The Lord told Joshua he was not to turn to the right hand nor to the left but to follow along the straight path that God marked out for him.
I call the first chapter of the Book of Joshua the Fear Not chapter. God told Joshua to “be strong and of a good courage”, “very courageous”, to “not be afraid”. And the Lord promised him that if Joshua did these things, God would “make thy way prosperous” and Joshua would have “good success”. And here was really the secret of why Joshua was not afraid: God promised that “the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
It is great that the story of Joshua and the promises of God are recorded in the Book of Joshua. They are there to give us courage as well and to set our feet on the path of success. So, today, I want to remember the first chapter of Joshua and take those wonderful promises with me. Nothing has changed about the problems and strife and the awful things we hear and see on the news but those things, like a storm on the water, don’t have to get inside my small boat. Maybe if we believed God’s promises, we wouldn’t be wandering in the wilderness either.
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