Be Strong and Courageous

     The transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua is an interesting one.  Some will read the historical account and take it for what it is.  Others will try to place themselves into trhe narrative and question what life would have been like if they were Moses or Joshua.  This behavior is normal and will help to shape our trust in God and His will for mankind.

     From Joshua's perspective taking over for Moses could have been exciting, filled with anticipation, or a time of apprehension.  Joshua was with Moses in Rephidim to fight against Amalek (Ex 17:14).  Moses asked the Lord in Numbers 27 who should take his place and the Lord responded with Joshua. Joshua who served as Moses' assistant for nearly 40 years is being tasked by God to lead His children into the Land of Promise.

     This moment of leadership is much like our own with the promise of God and the potential of our own life. God sees promise in every soul (Isa. 43:7). Just as a parent sees potential and promise in their own children, an eldership in the congregation, or even a mature Christian with a babe in Christ. God sees potential and promise in all of us.

     One way a person can find their potential and promise is to forget the past. Many will remember the loss of a loved one and believe they cannot measure up. Some could see the failures of a mentor and believe they could have done it better. To be strong and courageous we must forget the past and turn our attention to God.  Whether our past is marked by failure or filled with success, we must learn to trust God. Paul said,"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Php 3:13-14).

     Joshua was in a place to trust God more than he had in the past.God told Joshua, "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you" (Joshua 1:5). What a wonderful promise. A promise that our Lord has given His people today. "Be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper: I will not fear: what can man do to me?" (Heb 13:5-6).

-asa