Tag: promises

Passing the Torch

I love it when God reveals something to me in scripture that I have never seen before! So let me share it with you.

In Joshua 1:9, God declares, “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.”

I have heard this verse quoted so many times. In fact, I even have a plaque on my wall with it. It is a great verse that shares one of God’s promises, not only to the Israelites but also to us. I love this verse, so I decided to dig deeper into it and study it in context. Here’s a quick summary:

Moses has just died, and the Lord is declaring Joshua as the Israelites’ new leader. He tells them that they are about to cross the Jordan River into the land He has promised them, and He reminds Joshua of all His promises. He says He will be with Joshua as He was with Moses and never leave him. He also gives a short warning that they must obey God’s law and meditate on it, but he ends with the exhortation to be strong and courageous because He will be with them.

When I think of all the things God could have told Joshua, it warms my heart to think of the tenderness of God. He could have given Joshua a long list of commands and strategies. “Ok, Joshua, get out some paper, and write down this list of things to do and what to pack.” He could have used scare tactics to convince Joshua he better obey. “I am the Lord of the earth. I can smite you down with one breath, so you better do exactly as I say.” He could have given him a “Suck it up, buttercup” type of speech, reminding Joshua that things could always be worse.

Instead, God gave Joshua a pep talk. He knew what Joshua had to do was hard and terrifying, so God chose to encourage him. Our Lord wants to be our encourager, too. Our God is not unaware of the challenges we face. He knows our struggles and our temptations and does everything He can to move us in the right direction, guard us from our own sinfulness, and give us what we need for each moment.

So what happens after this pep talk? That’s the part I never really noticed. What did Joshua do in response? He shared this message with his people. He told the people to get ready, and he reminded them of all that the Lord would give them. In fact, he talks about the Lord giving them or having given them something five times in the next few verses…

  • “Take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own” (v 11)
  • “The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.” (v 13)
  • “Until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you” (v 15)
  • “Until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them” (v 15)

Joshua doesn’t just give the people orders. He reminds them of the Lord’s hand in their mission.

I’ve read this passage so many times in my life, but this time, what stood out to me was this “passing of the torch” aspect of our walk with God. God whispers to us, mentors us, and reminds us of HIS promises to us. Then our response should be to turn around and share that with others in our lives. We don’t keep that to ourselves. We remind all those we meet about how faithful God is in keeping His promises and how he will “be with us everywhere we go.”

On a more personal note: I know that if you were to hand-pick a scripture about sharing your faith with others, the first chapter of Joshua is not the one you would choose. In fact, I wouldn’t even say that the purpose of this scripture is to remind us of that aspect of our spiritual journey. But God’s Word is powerful and speaks to us individually in amazing ways.

Earlier this week, I read a book about studying God’s Word in more depth. It inspired me to look at scripture with new eyes. It reminded me to explore the original context of the passage and always search for what the verse reveals about God and His character. So I did that very thing with Joshua 1:9, a verse so familiar it had almost lost its impact. This blog post is a result of that newly inspired study technique. I hope it has encouraged you to read God’s Word with fresh eyes, eagerly anticipating Him to speak to you in new and exciting ways.

Thankfulness: It’s not just about remembering the past

Around Thanksgiving, we often are asked to list the things we are thankful for–friends, family, freedom, and such. We recount what God has done for us in our lives, remembering moments from our past when he has saved us, healed us, provided for us, loved us, forgiven us, and equipped us. But what if genuine thankfulness requires more than just recalling what God has done already? Maybe, in order to embrace all that thankfulness has to offer, we must also remember what God WILL do!

God is a promise keeper, a covenant maker. Our Good Father promises to strengthen us and help us (Isaiah 41:10), never leave us or forsake us (Deut. 31:8), instruct us and teach us (Psalm 32:8), give us rest (Matt. 11:28), renew us (Isaiah 40:31), give us peace (Phil 4:6-9), fight for us (Exod. 14:14), give us wisdom (James 1:5), forgive us (1 John 1:9), and give us eternal life (John 3:16). Of course, those are just a small sampling of all God has promised to do for us. The Bible is a whole testimony to God’s love and compassion for us all; it shows us just how far He is willing to go draw us to Him. Story after story in scripture reveals how God has kept His promises in the past and how we can trust him to keep His promises in the future.

No matter what our past or present holds, we must keep our eyes focused on the future God promises us. Your past may be full of heartache, trials, and pain. The moment you are in right now may be difficult, stressful, and far from anything you desire. But thankfulness cannot be all about today and it cannot be all about the past. It is about looking to the future and remembering what God has promised He will do. I am thankful that my past and present are not all there are for me. Praise be to the Promise-Keeper who I can trust with my future!