How many of us have faced a situation, not known what to
do, and asked some friends what to do? Some will give good advice; some will
give advice we don’t need. How many of us ask God for advice and then be
patient enough to wait for Him to answer? James says in his letter that if
anyone needs wisdom all we need to do is ask. God will then take the
opportunity to show us how there is no limit to His Grace, Love, and wisdom.
I don’t know if
there have ever been five more powerful words that have ever been spoken. These
five words are at the end of Joshua 1:9. “I will be with you.”
Joshua’s mind had
to be swimming. He was probably on the edge of letting the situation overwhelm
him. God had just told him that because Moses was now dead, and Moses was a
great servant, it would now be Joshua to take up leadership of the nation of
Israel and lead them into the Promised Land.
God didn’t make
it easy either. God drew lines to the north, south, east, and west. God said
this is where you belong. Oh, and by the way, I’m giving you your enemies also.
“Excuse me, God? Did you say you are “GIVING me the Hittites?” So yeah. Joshua
was scrambling for some wisdom.
Not only would
Joshua have to take care of this rebellious nation that had frequently overwhelmed
Moses, his mentor; but Joshua would have to do so with some of their greatest
challenges lying ahead of them. The Promised Land was not yet theirs. There
were battles to be fought, a war to be waged, reconstruction of entire cities,
the distribution of lands, the governing of this people – all these burdens and
responsibilities that Moses had taken care of up to now – they were to fall to
him. They were his now alone, while still dealing with the loss of his friend.
But then all Joshua
needed to do was to remember that “the Lord said…” It was God who had brought
him this assurance.
It was the God who
spoke heaven and earth into existence out of thin air.
It was the God whose
word had brought his ancient ancestor, Abraham, to Canaan.
It was the God who
had also given Abraham children, though he and Sarah were in their later years.
It was the God whose
word had now launched Joshua and this people out of slavery in Egypt.
It was the God
who had removed every obstacle in their path with powerful signs and wonders.
It was the God
who had spoken: “Be strong and courageous.” Do not be terrified; do not be
discouraged.
It was the God
who said He will be with you wherever you go."
They were words
of promise in the face of overwhelming challenges that lifted Joshua’s spirit’s
and helped equip him for his tasks.
It’s here where many
of us are today, isn’t it. We can focus our thoughts on how God has been a good
shepherd of us; providing for us; protecting us. But the one thing that brings
us joy in the midst of our struggles, the one thing that gives us strength as
we realize that we are not alone in our struggles, is the fact that Jesus, God’s
Son, the Good Shepherd is there with us as we walk through this experience
called “life.”
He is our comfort
and strength when we understand how He laid down his life, when He took on the
giants of our sin and death and rose victorious so that even now as we sit in
the presence of a great enemy we know that our cup of joy overflows. It is by
faith that in Jesus Christ that we dwell in the House of the Lord and we will
forever.
Wherever we go,
whatever situation we are facing, God is there ahead of us. He has claimed the
situation in His name and will use us and the situation to show He alone is
powerful and glorious. We are to be strong and courageous because God said, “I
am with you.”
