Chin Up

Scripture:

Joshua 1:1-9 (NIV)

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.”

Devotional:

As I think about Joshua I can’t help but wonder what he was thinking.  After all Moses was a pretty hard act to follow.  Yet God called him, not Moses, to lead the people into insurmountable odds, against them.  Does that sound like you?  Are you feeling overwhelmed?  Helen Reddy sings a song “You And Me Against The World.”  The song is a mother singing to her daughter.  It is just the two of them against everything and everyone else.

The truth is that we are not alone.  We have nothing to fear.  God is with us.  Just as He was with Joshua He is with us.  As long as we are focused on Him and do not turn from Him we are covered.  God has our back.  No matter the odds.  No matter how bad it looks God is with us and He will fight for us just as he did so many years ago.  Verse seven states, “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.”  We can be triumphant and have success.  But best of all we are not alone getting there.  Even though it looks bleak and things are not going well God is with us.  Remember you will be triumphant and will prevail.  Not by your strength but by His.  So no matter the odds, or how bad it looks, keep the chin up.  Be strong and be courageous, because God is with you.  With Him who can prevail against you?