Be strong and courageous
This week's bibley goodness comes from Joshua 1:1-9:
Joshua was Robin to Moses' Batman. Suddenly he found himself in charge of everything. And God was sending him and all of the people into battle! None of them had any real military experience. And all of the reports of the promised land made it sound like an impossible task.
God tells Joshua three times to be strong and courageous. (I suppose he could have just said "Don't be weak! Or cowardly!" But sometimes it's more useful to be positive.) It's like God was saying "I know you're freaking out, but I need you to be strong and to do what needs to be done. Here's how:" It's interesting the three times he tells him to be strong and courageous.
The first time, when he tells him he's going into battle, is a no-brainer: Of course you need to be strong and courageous to go to war. You need to be strong, so that you can kill people, and you need to be courageous, so that you can face the necessary dangers. Courage is being neither cowardly (no risk) nor foolhardy (indiscriminate risk.) You're not going to run screaming by yourself into a horde of sword-wielding thugs, but you're also not going to get anywhere if your whole army stays hiding behind a tree.
In Joshua's case, there's a political risk too: If he screws this up, or if God is not in it, he's going to lose the support of the people. Nothing destroys a leader's power like a pointless or failed war. And remember, he's been the sidekick this whole time, and now he's got his own show. There's fear he's going to mess it all up (courage!) and a danger he's going to let the power go to his head (strength!)
The second time, when God tells him to follow the law and to do what he needs to do, is trickier. How is it strong and courageous to read the Bible and meditate in prayer? Sometimes doing the stuff is hard. Are you being strong if you give in easily to temptation? Are you courageous if you're shy or depressed and let yourself forsake the fellowship of other Christians? Doing the right thing, and doing the hard scary thing take some strength and courage.
The third time, when God tells Joshua to not to doubt ("Have I not commanded you?") and to not be afraid or discouraged, is maybe even trickier. There's a mental game we play when God has promised us something, or when we're out of our league as far as the work he's set us on. Tricksey tricksey Satan loves to get in the middle of it and sow doubt: "Did God really say?..."
That's why God spells it out: You have to be strong and courageous to believe impossible sounding things like "You're going to be invincible and lead an amateur army successfully against a land filled with giants who have serious ninja skills." And, oddly enough, you also have to be strong and courageous in order not to be afraid and discouraged.
Without strength and courage, Joshua probably would have talked himself out of obeying God's word and accepting God's blessing. "This land is good enough. Because holy crap. Look at what's on the other side of that mountain! I'll just stay where I am. I probably just imagined that whole God-thing anyway.." He may have let fear and weakness keep him from risking his life and his power to go to war. And for all we know, Israel may even have ended up forsaking God, because once you explain away the still small voice, you might as well explain away the whole deal.
So, be strong and courageous. Believe what God has told you, even though it requires some mental effort. Take meaningful risks in order to head down the path he's sent you on, even though it's scary or really hard. Put yourself in Joshua's position: Would you have done what he did without strength and courage? If you're having a hard time doing what you need to do, ask for strength and courage.
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them —to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates —all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua was Robin to Moses' Batman. Suddenly he found himself in charge of everything. And God was sending him and all of the people into battle! None of them had any real military experience. And all of the reports of the promised land made it sound like an impossible task.
God tells Joshua three times to be strong and courageous. (I suppose he could have just said "Don't be weak! Or cowardly!" But sometimes it's more useful to be positive.) It's like God was saying "I know you're freaking out, but I need you to be strong and to do what needs to be done. Here's how:" It's interesting the three times he tells him to be strong and courageous.
The first time, when he tells him he's going into battle, is a no-brainer: Of course you need to be strong and courageous to go to war. You need to be strong, so that you can kill people, and you need to be courageous, so that you can face the necessary dangers. Courage is being neither cowardly (no risk) nor foolhardy (indiscriminate risk.) You're not going to run screaming by yourself into a horde of sword-wielding thugs, but you're also not going to get anywhere if your whole army stays hiding behind a tree.
In Joshua's case, there's a political risk too: If he screws this up, or if God is not in it, he's going to lose the support of the people. Nothing destroys a leader's power like a pointless or failed war. And remember, he's been the sidekick this whole time, and now he's got his own show. There's fear he's going to mess it all up (courage!) and a danger he's going to let the power go to his head (strength!)
The second time, when God tells him to follow the law and to do what he needs to do, is trickier. How is it strong and courageous to read the Bible and meditate in prayer? Sometimes doing the stuff is hard. Are you being strong if you give in easily to temptation? Are you courageous if you're shy or depressed and let yourself forsake the fellowship of other Christians? Doing the right thing, and doing the hard scary thing take some strength and courage.
The third time, when God tells Joshua to not to doubt ("Have I not commanded you?") and to not be afraid or discouraged, is maybe even trickier. There's a mental game we play when God has promised us something, or when we're out of our league as far as the work he's set us on. Tricksey tricksey Satan loves to get in the middle of it and sow doubt: "Did God really say?..."
That's why God spells it out: You have to be strong and courageous to believe impossible sounding things like "You're going to be invincible and lead an amateur army successfully against a land filled with giants who have serious ninja skills." And, oddly enough, you also have to be strong and courageous in order not to be afraid and discouraged.
Without strength and courage, Joshua probably would have talked himself out of obeying God's word and accepting God's blessing. "This land is good enough. Because holy crap. Look at what's on the other side of that mountain! I'll just stay where I am. I probably just imagined that whole God-thing anyway.." He may have let fear and weakness keep him from risking his life and his power to go to war. And for all we know, Israel may even have ended up forsaking God, because once you explain away the still small voice, you might as well explain away the whole deal.
So, be strong and courageous. Believe what God has told you, even though it requires some mental effort. Take meaningful risks in order to head down the path he's sent you on, even though it's scary or really hard. Put yourself in Joshua's position: Would you have done what he did without strength and courage? If you're having a hard time doing what you need to do, ask for strength and courage.
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