My family uses the “Youversion” Bible App to do our devotional reading. We have been group reading the Chronological Bible with Tara Leigh Cobb. It is published by D-Group and has an associated PodCast that goes along with it everyday. It is a great tool for group or individual Bible reading and I highly recommend it as a tool for your spiritual growth.
That being said, our reading took us into Joshua today. This is one of my favorite Old Testament books. The context indicates that the nation of Israel has wandered in the wilderness for 40 years because they were disobedient the first time God directed them to the Promised Land and they didn’t go. Now, 40 years later, they stand on the banks of the Jordan River again facing the prospect of taking the land. Moses has been removed from the scene and the leadership mantle has been passed to Joshua. God told Joshua in 1:7-9…
“Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success where you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
In a Joshua 1:6, God also says to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous…” Whenever God is moving us to the. next phase in His plan for us, we are always going to be fearful. It is expanding the box for us when we just got comfortable in the last box we were in. I am pretty certain that no one likes to have their boundaries or borders changed. We like the things that we can count on that have become the norm for us. Unfortunately, we live in a time when the “norm” is being redefined constantly. It seems that as soon as we think we have settled in, the boundaries change again.
The reason that God told Joshua to “fear not” is because Joshua’s trust was to be in God. You see, God never changes. He is constant. He said, “I am the Lord, I change not.” In these days of uncertainty, we need to keep our eyes on Him. He will never let us down.
Great words for today from God…
Remember, that I love you all and am praying for you. We will get through this and God will see us through.
Pastor Mark