“Be strong and courageous.” Moses gave that command to Joshua twice in Deuteronomy 31 as they stood on the border of the Promised Land. After the death of Moses, God gave the same command four times to Joshua in Joshua 1 as they prepared to cross the Jordan. Joshua gave it to the people in Joshua 10. (But it didn’t stop there. David gave the same command to Solomon in 1 Chronicles 28, and Hezekiah gave it to the people as they faced their enemies in 2 Chronicles 32.)
I think God is trying to tell us something—that His people need to be strong and courageous in this world.
Courage. It ain’t easy. Life is tough. We live on a broken planet; as such, suffering, trials, and opposition will always be a part of life. We should not be surprised when we face situations, sometimes daily, that require godly strength and courage.
I remember the line in “Chariots of Fire” when Eric Liddell was preaching while others were competing in the Olympics … “Where does the courage come from?” he asked.
Both Moses and God told Joshua exactly where the courage comes from. It comes knowing that “the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” [Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Josh 1:9 NIV]
David promised the same thing to Solomon, and Hezekiah the same thing to the people. We can be strong, we can be courageous because the LORD our God is with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Beloved, be strong and courageous! For the Lord your God is with you!
