Wherever You Go...

It's good to hear encouragement, but it begins to be troubling if you hear the same encouragement over and over again. If you were in line for the scariest new ride at Six Flags and the person said, "You'll be fine," it might make you feel better, but hearing that phrase four or five times might make you feel a little nervous. If you weren't nervous about going on the ride, you might be nervous, now.

Moses had led the Israelites through some of the most amazing events in history: plagues in Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, miraculous food in the desert, receiving God's law on Mt. Siani, and defeating powerful kings as the approached the Promised Land. Now Joshua is about to take over. Maybe he was he was nervous, or maybe he was not nervous enough for what would be required of him in the future starting with the fortress city of Jericho. Four times in the first chapter of Joshua this new leader is told to be strong and courageous, in addition to the the same phrase at the end of the previous book.

Joshua 1:9New International Version (NIV)

9 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.”

Maybe you are nervous about something coming up, or maybe you should be a little more nervous than you are. Either way, God's words to you are to be strong and courageous - God will be with you wherever you go!