Don't be afraid

Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1.6-9

Moses is dead. Joshua has taken over and he has a massive task ahead of him. It must have been a terrifying thought. All of a sudden it was all on Joshua’s shoulders.

What was he going to do?

How often have we been in situations like that? How often have we faced an uncertain future with unknown battles and scary situations and just not known how we we're going  to handle it.

I remember sitting with Matt when Michelle’s leukaemia was first detected. I remember wondering with him haw we were going to get through all this. I remember last summer when they told me that I had heart problems that were going to require triple bypass surgery. I remember the night they loaded me in the ambulance to take me to the other hospital and saying to Mary ‘I’m scared.’

We all face those kinds of scary situations all have some kind of inkling about how Joshua must have felt.

But God was with Joshua and we can rest assured that God is with us as well. ‘Be strong and be courageous. Don’t be afraid, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’

God went with Joshua into Canaan. He goes with us through financial challenges and sickness and operations and deaths and distresses and accidents and storms and whatever we care going to face and whatever is on our plates to face this week.

To each of these situations God says ‘don’t be afraid – I am with you.’ Can we trust Him as Joshua was called to do?