Journeying with Joshua 2

This week’s message sees us continuing our series, ‘Journeying with Joshua’. God’s promises to Joshua echo those that were made to Moses, his predecessor: ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you,’ he assures. (See Joshua 1:5.)

Even in the light of this incredible promise, God urges his servant to ‘be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land’ (Joshua 1:6). Although we know that God’s heart has always been to walk intimately with his people —remember, Jesus has promised to be with us ‘always until the very end of the age’ (Matthew 28:20) — there is still that call to be strong and courageous. I can only conclude that God is fully aware that pressing forward into new, and sometimes unknown, situations is not easy, and if we think it is, we are in danger of being shocked and discouraged!

As we look at God’s word, particularly around the call to be ‘strong and courageous’, I hope you will take away this thought: God doesn’t just command strength and courage; he supplies it too, in abundance! Joshua 1:9 tells us that God urged Joshua, ‘Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’ Whatever you might be going through right now, take courage, be strong in his promises and press forward, allowing God to be all that He wants to be to you!