April 15, 2015 – Joshua 1:9
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. Joshua 1:9It is one thing to say, “I will be strong and courageous, frightened or dismayed…” and another to say, “I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me”. The first discounts the God who placed us here, gave us breath, feeds us and has given us salvation if we believe. The second acknowledges that only in God who is able, we are able to accomplish and succeed. Will He be with me? He is with me wherever I go. “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.”Can you imagine the children of Israel as they reached the Red Sea, with the Egyptian soldiers at their heels, did they think all was lost? They were cut off from safety from bondage. Then, the Lord God dried up the Red Sea until the Children of Israel passed over. Can you imagine walking between walls of pent up water? Even when walking in the way God provides, pent-up doubts allow our hearts and minds to wander away from the Way. As the Children of Israel reached the other side, safe from danger, they rejoiced, gave thanks and looked into the future, a future of walking with God.We hear, we know, but do we know with our hearts? Until we know heart-deep that the hand of the Lord is mighty and He is ours forever, do we truly walk with God. In the big things of our lives and the small things of our lives – He is here with us.Look for Him, yearn for Him, desire Him, remember the times when you thought things were impossible. He was there. Praise Him, Thank Him, Love Him, Know Him. The Hand of the Lord is mighty. Fear the Lord your God forever.For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever. Joshua 4:23-24