“Be of good courage”
Be strong and of a good courage. —Joshua 1:6
Read Joshua 1:1-9
After Moses’ death and the thirty days of mourning, the people continued their journey. The Lord promised Joshua that they would inherit the land and that He would be with him wherever he went. This promise must have been of great encouragement to Joshua. The Lord, however, made one condition: the people had to walk according to His commandments.
Have you ever tried to follow God’s commandments completely? You will soon discover that you are unable to do so and that you need the Lord Jesus, the great Fulfiller of the Law. And still the Lord requires the keeping of His Law, so that you must live care-fully, act wisely and meditate upon God’s Word, seeking to live out of it. How much of your time do you give to the Lord and His service? Does your life merely consist of short prayers, a little Bible reading and the sending up of a quick thank-you for His benefits? God’s blessing cannot rest on this.
When your eyes are opened to see who the Lord really is, then your heart will be overcome by His love. He is such a merciful Saviour! He stood in the place of His people to prevent their eternal death.
Finally, the Lord gave Joshua both a command and a promise. Joshua was to be filled with courage because the Lord promised to accompany him wherever he went. Let us also pray that the Lord would travel with us into an unknown future.
How, and for whom, is your time spent each day?