Stories to Grow By

The Warrior Taken from Joshua 1 – 4 The Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Once upon a time, many years ago in the land of Moab lived a man named Joshua. Joshua was a very good man. He loved Jehovah God with all his heart and was loved and respected by all the tribe of Israel. The driving force in his life had always been an unquenchable thirst for God’s presence and he always found himself back in His tabernacle soaking in His presence. Joshua had come to understand that he was the man chosen to be God’s instrument to lead Israel into the land God had promised to them. But Joshua had a big problem. Joshua did not feel much like a leader. He was not any stronger than any other men he knew, not that much smarter than the others, and his biggest problem was that he was very, very sad. You see, Joshua had just lost his best friend and his hero. Moses, the great leader who brought the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, had just died. While he was alive Moses had been bigger than life, and now he had left Joshua with huge shoes to fill. Joshua sighed and looked over the horizon of Moab towards their intended destination and shook his head. “Lord, I know that you have called me for this time, but I just don’t see why. I don’t know how I can do this. Speak to me and give me Your strength.” Joshua thought of the time he first met Moses, how he stood in the midst of Israel’s leaders and pronounced that God was calling them to a life of freedom from slavery. And then Moses and Aaron, his brother, had consistently stood up to Pharaoh, Egypt’s king, demanding that he set them free to worship Jehovah God, showing all His miracles in the process. There had been so many special moments between him and Moses. They had walked up Mount Sinai where Moses received God’s law. There had been many evenings alone in the tabernacle talking in God’s presence. Moses knew that the greatest trait in Joshua’s character was that of faithfulness, and he had worked hard for many years to share the secrets God had taught him over the years. He carefully groomed Joshua for leadership. Moses knew this young man was called to take over for him some day – to lead the people he loved into their destiny. Joshua remembered the day when Moses called him to God’s great tabernacle of meeting and presented him before all the children of Israel. The Lord had appeared at the tabernacle in a pillar like a cloud and the pillar stood over the door of the tabernacle as God inaugurated Joshua for service. Moses said to Joshua in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage; for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” And yet at the same time Joshua still felt like he wasn’t ready – not ready to lose his friend, not ready for this huge burden of responsibility. But here he was. He was in charge of a multitude of people too numerous to even count, all looking to him to put all those wonderful memories and experiences with Moses behind him and step into the role God was calling him to. Joshua knew that all those hours in God’s presence in the tabernacle, learning His law and His ways were all God’s hand on his life training him just for this time. As Joshua surveyed the horizon towards the Jordan river, he heard the voice of God talking directly to him, encouraging him. “Moses, my servant, is dead. Now therefore arise and go over this Jordan, you and all this people to the land which I am giving to them. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you as I said to Moses. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so shall I be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Only be strong and very courageous that you may observe to do according to the law which Moses, my servant, commanded you. Do not turn to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”