Get Ready, Set, Go!

Joshua 1:6-11

Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. 

Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua then commanded the officers of Israel, “Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

I've been awake since 3 a.m. and am struggling a bit this morning. I woke up with what feels like conjunctivitis in my left eye and am waiting for the doctor's office to open so I can get it checked. But more than that relatively minor irritation, I've been wrestling with anxious thoughts and concerns for a family member who is struggling with life. 

I felt the waves of anxiety and fear start to wash over me yesterday and then of course, waking up so early with eye pain and irritation did nothing to help those discouraging thoughts. The first thought I had was, "Seriously? Today, of all days?"

But then the Lord brought the passage above to mind and it was like a healing balm to my soul.

Joshua, who was quite a courageous commander, was obviously just as frail and human as the rest of us as we see the Lord remind him over and over not to give in to fear and anxiety. The phrase, "Be strong and courageous," is repeated multiple times.

But I saw something else this morning. God is planning on doing a mighty work through Joshua and prepares Joshua for this gargantuan task with the following directives.

Get Ready.

In order to lead the people where God wanted them to go, Joshua had to be ready. He needed to be grounded in the word of God. The Lord tells Joshua to meditate on His directives day and night.

When I stay focused on God's word and meditate on God's promises, I feel emboldened to face whatever is ahead. The same was true of Joshua. I often can start meditating on the problem and not God's word and that is where I get derailed.

Set.

God reminds Joshua of what He has been telling him all along. "Haven't I said, 'Be strong and courageous?'" The Lord is encouraging Joshua to put his faith in the Lord. Don't be fearful. Don't be discouraged. Don't be afraid. I am with you.

As I worked on memorizing verse 9 this morning and repeated it over and over, I felt peace and calm wash over me. And more importantly, the Lord gave me a direction to go as I struggle with helping my family member. I felt like I can face whatever comes my way today because I have my mind set on God's promises.

Go!

Joshua then tells all officers to get the people to pack up to follow God's command to go into the land. They weren't just to sit around. They were to pack up and be ready to head out. That took a step of faith because they had to trust what God was telling their leader.

I too need to take action when God tells me to and not just sit around feeling anxious. When I come to the understanding that God can be trusted then I need to step out in faith and follow whatever path He is leading me down, even the hard one.

I'm so thankful that God brought this passage to mind today. I am going to spend my day meditating on this passage, getting my mental state in alignment with where the Lord is leading and then walk forward and go down the path He sends me. 

And I can do all this because I know without a doubt that the Lord is with me wherever I go!