Joshua 1: 6-9
A weekday morning devotional series written by Aaron Marcarelli and hosted by Chad McBeam
“Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””
Joshua 1:6-9 NASB1995
Today we focus on verse 7.
“Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.”
In verse 7 God tells Joshua to not only be strong but this time God adds a very to adjective courageous.
What does it mean to be courageous? When we think of courageous people we think of navy seals, marines,soldiers, firefighters, and police officers. These are men and women who put their lives on the line on a daily basis. We think of civilians like Welles Crowther also known as the “man in the red bandana” who escorted 100’s of people to safety in the South tower on 9/11. Or the people on flight 93 that stormed the cockpit on 9/11 or the people that jumped on the guy with a shoe bomb shortly thereafter. Or the 3 guys that subdued the terrorist gunman that had over 500 rounds on a train to Paris. The Football coach in FL who subdued the school shooter. These people run towards danger when everyone else is running away. Courage is “strength in the face of pain or grief.” The ability to do what others cannot because they are paralyzed by fear. I think about the Christians in Africa and Afghanistan who are being killed by Islamic Jihadist for preaching and following Christ.
God calls not only Joshua to be very courageous he calls us to be very courageous as well.
I don’t know about y’all but I like my comfort here in the USA. Yes it’s getting more difficult to share our faith but not yet where our lives are on the line. But God, tells me that there are lives on the line. The souls of others who need the good news and we are afraid of a little rejection when others are losing their lives and being martyred for the gospel. We must be better! We must be strong and very courageous!
Lord, I thank you for your great conviction this morning. Thank you for filling me up with you mercies, help us do a better job of being strong and very courageous in sharing your gospel. That Christ has died, has risen, and He will come again.
Blessings and Press In and Press On!