Today we start in the book of Joshua. Moses has passed away and the people are
getting ready to cross over the Jordan.
Scripture: “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you;
I will never leave you nor forsake you.
[So] be strong and courageous … Do not be afraid; do not be
discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:5-6, 9
This
came from our daily reading in Joshua 1 and Psalm 37
Observation/Application: Here in the
opening of the Book of Joshua we see the people are about to see God’s promises
fulfilled to them and their territory being expanded. God also renews to them His promise to be
with them and not leave them. Here is a good
application or reminder to us: Even when
God fulfills His promises to us, He will not leave us there alone to live out
those promises. Say God promises you
children or healing or a ministry or to provide for you through a new
venture. God is not going to walk you
into those new places and leave you to fend for yourself – He is still with you
leading and guiding and protecting and providing for you just as He was before
when you were barren, sick and without a job!
Perhaps sometimes we feel closer to God when we are going through those
hard(er) times because that is when WE need Him most. That’s when we are on our knees crying out,
but when times are “good” and we are hanging out in the “Promised Land” with
our sunglasses on beside the spring water drinking our milk and honey we might
(hopefully not) but we might forget, God is still there and He still wants us
on our knees talking to Him! God also
reminded them that it was important to remember the Good Book, The Book of the
Law, what is known today as our Bibles.
We are to be thinking about it DAY and
NIGHT. This is what will make us
successful and prosperous (not necessarily, but not impossible either, as the
world defines these two words, but in God’s eyes).
Lastly, the words, “be strong and
courageous” are used four times in this chapter alone. These are important words. Taking the Promised Land was not going to be
an easy task. There would be battles to
be won, cities to go to war with and other obstacles that would stand in their
way. God wanted them ready! Today is no different whether it is physical
things we are dealing with, emotional struggles, spiritual battles or even
struggles with other people we can take these words I think and apply them to
our lives to be strong and courageous, to remember God is with us and to spend
our days and nights in the Word strengthening our lives in Him.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are such a good
God! You give us good things and You
ALWAYS keep Your promises. And just as
You brought the Children of Israel into a good land, Your Word encourages us that
You have good things in store for us as well.
Father help us to run the race with endurance and patience, to be strong
and courageous and to remember that You are always with us and that You never
leave us, nor forsake us. God sometimes
we (I) let my flesh be stronger – I say or do things out of my flesh instead of
allowing You to be strong within me – letting Your Holy Spirit control the
things I say or do. Help me, help us,
LORD to live out of a place where Your Holy Spirit is in control; where our
responses are full of the sweet fruit of Your Holy Spirit – love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Help us to put on the full Armor of God and
be ready to fight the good fight, again, not in our own fleshly strength (which
gets weak and tired), but by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Thank you that You are always with us. May we trust You in every detail of our life
that You are using it to do Your good work in us. Through Christ, who is our example, I pray,
Amen & Amen.
Encouragement
from Psalm 37 to meditate on today
Do
not fret – do not be discouraged
Trust in the Lord and do good
Dwell
in the land and enjoy safe pasture
Take
delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart
Commit
your way to the Lord;
trust in him and He will do this
Be
still before the Lord
and wait patiently for Him
Refrain
from anger
Do
not fret – do not be discouraged
Those
who hope in the Lord will inherit the land
A
little while, [wait] and the wicked will be no more
Better
the little that the righteous have
than
the wealth of many wicked
The
blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,
and their inheritance will endure forever
The
Lord makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him
Hope
in the Lord
and keep his way
And
take refuge in Him
Amen
