Strong and Courageous

Thought for the Day: God knows I can be strong and courageous!

Can you imagine having to fill Moses’ shoes? As far as leaders go, he certainly left his mark after leading the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt, bringing the 10 Commandments to the people directly from God, and leading them through forty years of wandering in the wilderness. But, like all human leaders before and after him, Moses was not immortal. Like all good things, his leadership came to an end.

In the Book of Joshua, we meet a young leader who would go on to succeed the legendary Moses and lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. But before any of that, Joshua was given his marching orders from God. Human leaders tend to assume they need to either continue in the ways of their predecessor or go in a new direction. But, instead of telling Joshua to be “like Moses” or “unlike Moses”, God gave very specific instructions: “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.”

We have the opportunity to live out these instructions in all parts of our lives. Knowing that God will never leave nor abandon us, we do not have to be afraid when we face trials or obstacles. Remember: God will never command us to do something impossible. Just like Joshua, we can hold on to God’s strength (not our own). Then, we will be both strong and courageous!

In Christ,

Pastors Stan and David