Readings for today: Deuteronomy 31-34
Be strong and courageous. A phrase that appears multiple times in this chapter. Moses spoke these words to the people of Israel as they prepared to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land. He spoke them to Joshua as he prepared to hand off his leadership to the next generation. And the Lord reinforces this message by speaking directly to Joshua before Moses’ death. It makes perfect sense. The people of Israel are about to embark on a military campaign that will take them years to complete. They will fight city after city, tribe after tribe in an effort to secure the inheritance God promised them. Among the many things they will need to accomplish this mission, “strength” and “courage” would definitely be at the top of the list. Strikingly enough, however, is where their strength and courage come from. It’s not something they can muster up for themselves. No amount of training or preparation will produce the strength and courage they need. It can only come from one place and one place alone…the presence of the Lord.
Take a moment and consider all the attributes it takes to lead a rich and full and meaningful life. Qualities like strength and courage are essential as are qualities like love, joy, peace, humility, and wisdom. The Bible makes it clear that the source of such qualities is God Himself. No human being can produce these qualities on their own. Even at our best, we can only produce cheap imitations. The qualities we need are the byproducts of experiencing the abiding presence of God. Staying in step and walking with the Holy Spirit. Keeping our focus on Jesus. “Do not be afraid…for the Lord goes with you.” “Be strong and courageous…for the Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you.” “Be strong and courageous…I myself will be with you.” Over and over again, God makes it clear that strength and courage only come from Him and He is faithful. He will never leave His people for forsake them.
Do we believe God? Do we take God at His Word? Do we trust Him to be faithful to His promise? That’s the fundamental question. So if we find ourselves living in fear, we should seek refuge in the presence of God. If we find ourselves overwhelmed with anxiety, we should run to Christ and cast all our anxieties on Him. If we find ourselves in need of strength and courage to face the challenges of our day to day life, we should start each day on our knees asking God to make us aware of His abiding presence in our lives. The more aware we are, the more courage and strength we’ll have to face each day.
Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 1-2, Psalms 105