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 1:9
In my house, on nearly every morning someone forgets something essential on the way to school drop off: a lunch, a water bottle, shoes (Yes, we have been several blocks down the road before one of my kids might shout: “Oh no, I don’t have my shoes!”), a backpack, a jacket, a phone, keys, and so on. There are countless things that can be forgotten on the way out the door and into whatever adventure the day may hold.
God’s people, moving into the land of promise, are not merely reminded that God is with them. They are “commanded” to be “strong and courageous” BECAUSE “the Lord your God will be with you.” In other words, the people may forget a lot of things. They may forget a cell phone charger, a granola bar, or a few bucks for the day. All of those things do matter. But, the most critical thing, the one thing that they must not under any circumstances forget is that they are to be “strong and courageous.” Later, in the passage, the Bible will reiterate this command, bolstering it by adding the word “very.”
Apparently, the work ahead will not be easy. It will be good. It will be beautiful, ultimately. But it will challenge our capacity to endure fear and loneliness. It will confront within us the very things we hoped to avoid. The journey forward will be through trial and difficulty. We won’t merely be able to make it if we forget to take with us, that great courage that overcomes.
This is our future as a church community. There is a great future ahead. Make no mistake — there will be detractors and naysayers. There will be critics and cynics. There will be those who make no effort to understand. And there will be us… those who have signed on for an adventure of epic proportions.
I’m grateful for our church. I’m grateful for the courageous many who make up our church community.
See you soon,
Jeff