"I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
Joshua 1:9 (NRSV)
Prodigal Thoughts: These are some strong words from the mouth of God to Joshua. This is taking place shortly after Moses passes away. According to BibleHub, in this instance, the verse could read "Grow in strength and be bold and alert." I’m sure he felt a bit intimidated trying to fill the shoes of his predecessor, Moses. If I were in Joshua’s shoes, I would be shaken to my very core. He was charged to take up the leadership that Moses laid down when he breathed his last breath. That being said, trying to follow along the same path or trying to lead exactly as another person could lead to frustration. Why do I say that? The more I learn from God, there are many paths to the foot of the cross. Joshua didn’t have the example that we have in Christ Jesus. He had the example of Moses. The thing is that we are all on our own journey and your journey will more than likely be different than mine. This is because each of us were created by God for a unique purpose that may not look like someone else. Perhaps that is what God is trying to tell Joshua. God wants to grow Joshua’s strength in relationship with Him. Joshua would grow to do some amazing things for the glory of God. Our Father wants to grow each of us in our relationship with Him. He holds out hope for ALL of His children and he doesn’t hold back.
Prayer for today: Today, I pray that we would be so focused on our relationship with God that we are no longer afraid or worried. That we wouldn’t be tempted to compare our journey with others, but that we would encourage others though their journey is different. I pray that we would be so overwhelmed by His presence in our lives and that we can walk through life with a Christ-centered boldness that would be unmistakable by those around us and that He would draw others to the Christ in us.
If you need prayer, please reply and I will pray for you. If you would like to talk about this verse or have questions, I’m always open for your feedback.
God’s grace on you…
Prodigal Thinker 