Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them. You are the one who will divide it among them as their grants of land. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:7-8
I woke up completely jet-lagged with the house flooded. We have been back less than 2 days but Alizah’s sleep schedule is very messed up, meaning all of our schedules are messed up. Luckily we weren’t electrocuted but we were all trying to clean up since before 6 in the morning. Then I had to go to immigration a plead our case before the official there. This was after Sunday, which was one fight after another - baggage, immigration, flights… I was completely despondent and worn out - there was nothing left of Jon. God’s word to me? Be strong and courageous.
I wonder how many times Joshua second-guessed those words. “But God, those are really high walls!” Be strong and courageous. “I’ve never been a warrior and my people aren’t trained in fighting!” Be strong and courageous. “I don’t had the technology or equipment I need - other armies have chariots and horses!” Be strong and courageous.
There is a reason this is in the Bible. There is an even bigger reason that it’s in Joshua’s story so often. In Joshua 1, God says the same thing 3 times! It’s because with every trial, temptation, or problem, we are tempted to think it’s something different and harder. But while the problem is different, God is still the same. And His Word to us as leaders is still the same - Be strong and courageous… Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail nor abandon you.
Do we believe that? Whether we do or not doesn’t change that God is on the throne. It just changes our level of worry and stress.
Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Joshua 1:6
First Moses told Joshua to be strong and courageous. Then God told him directly. He was the one to lead the people into the promises God had for them.
This is very much like our call. We are leading God’s people into the promise God has on their lives. This is our mission - it’s not to build projects or become great in the world, but to teach Mozambicans how to take possession of what the Lord has already promised them. Therefore, we don’t need to worry. When the government is after us, we don’t need to worry. When finances are slow in coming, we don’t need to worry. When we are being attacked on all sides, we don’t need to worry. Because God has called us and He himself is telling us to be strong and courageous.
