Read Joshua 1:5-11; 3:7-4:7
Moses has died and Joshua is next in line to take the lead.
I can only imagine how he must have felt. I think it is safe to say that he was anxious. Joshua was afraid to take the lead.
While he is receiving this news God repeats, “Be strong and courageous.”
What is His reasoning for why Joshua can be strong?
“…for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go”
God uses this encouragement often throughout the scriptures, it is a sufficient one, notice the results of having God with us in chapter 3. When God is with you, He will never fail you or leave you.
Joshua took action and began to give orders in his new role. Was he instantly emboldened by God’s words? Was his anxiety vanquished at God’s encouragement? Was he ready to take a step forward into obedience? Or was Joshua putting on a façade of confidence when he began giving orders and encouraging the people?
God gives him more encouragement as he sends out spies to check out the land again – they give a good report and come across a woman named Rahab who helps them.
Shortly after this, Israel prepares to walk ahead into the water of the Jordan. God comes back to Joshua with the words that He knows he needs to hear,
“’Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.’”
The people moved towards the high waters of the Jordan. The priests, with the Ark of the Covenant, took a step into the water, and instantly the ground split and dried before them.
This was an instant miracle!
They did not have to wait hours for this miracle to take place. Look at the highlighted portion of the text, “as soon as.”
Something I have been reminded to do while reading God’s word and when praying is to slow down.
SLOW DOWN HERE.
The water instantly stopped flowing and raised itself up. The water retreated to giant walls far away from God’s people! Only dry ground was before them.
Picture this.
Try to place yourself into this miraculous moment.
Try to feel the awe of it all.
In a time where we can watch movies where planets are destroyed, people control water, and other miraculous spectacles are common it is very easy to gloss over these moments in scripture, but there is one thing that is different about the moments we can read in the Bible. They actually happened in history!
So again, slow down.
The God, who is by our side, is capable of performing nature defying miracles in an instant!
He can produce a heart devoted to Him instantly.
He can stir up joy in our hearts and can pour out boldness from His Spirit at any time He wants.
This is why, the encouragement, “I am with you,” is so powerful.
This is why, we can start every day in peace. We can conquer every situation reassured that He is near and working for our good (though this may look differently from what we expect our good to look like).
Stuck in repetitive sin? God can change the heart to crave Him above sin.
Lost in dwelling on the reason for bad situations? God can turn it around instantaneously.
Dealing with heartbreak? Christ can produce joy in your heart that leads you to a source of joy that has an unshakable structure which changes how we see every situation.
Struggling with anxiety? God can give the ultimate peace.
The only thing God asks of us (and by His grace allows us to do) is to trust and obey Him. God can do powerful things in an instant, but what about when He doesn’t act immediately?
Is it because He is not capable?
What do you do while waiting on God to act?
We will look at that tomorrow. But again remember, because of Jesus, God is with you and He is capable of performing miracles in an instant. God can bring about change immediately – He has the power to do so. He only asks that we obey and seek to be strong and courageous – a strength He provides as we trust in what He can do.
