Go Get Your Blessing (But Don’t Forget Your God!)

The church I am a member of is marching into our new facility on this Sunday. It is exciting to see what God has done in taking us from multiple temporary places to what will now be our permanent church home. In Joshua 1:1–11, God was preparing to take Israel across the Jordan into the Promised Land. But first He took time to prepare Joshua to lead them, telling him to be courageous (because God wouldn’t forsake him) and to remember God’s word (so he wouldn’t leave God). I pray that you would believe God for His promises and that you would never leave Him….because He’ll never leave or forsake you! Amen

After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them —to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates —all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. (Joshua 1:1–6)

Joshua was commissioned by God to lead Israel into the Promised Land after Moses’s death. Where Israel had previously attempted to go into the Promised Land on their own without God leading them, they now waited on the Lord at Canaan’s edge on the banks of the Jordan river. Here, God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous in leading Israel into God’s promise for them. God affirmed that He would do all that He had promised and that He would be with Joshua, never forsaking him, so that no one could stand against him all the days of his life!

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 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 1:7-9)

God reiterated His command to Joshua to be strong and even very courageous. Joshua was to show courage in leading Israel, and also to carefully observe God’s word. This combination of courage to follow the Lord’s leading and careful observance of His word would allow Joshua to succeed in the mission God gave him.

So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.’” (Joshua 1:10-11)

Having received His orders and commission from the Lord of Hosts, Joshua wasted no time in telling his officers to get the people ready to cross the Jordan river in three days. This meant not only that the military had to prepare to cross the Jordan, but every man, woman, child, their livestock and possessions also (exception: Reubenites, Gadites and Manasseh). That was no small undertaking and therefore required the three days of preparation for everyone to march across the Jordan into enemy territory!

Conclusion

God prepared His people, and particularly their leader, to march into His promise boldly and courageously, knowing that He would be with them and never forsake them. But God also warned them to keep His word in their hearts, mouths and minds so they would not stray from Him. In other words, He would be with them as long as they didn’t leave Him.

God wants us to be confident in what He has promised us and to move courageously to possess it. But He also knows our tendency to forget where our blessings come from and to begin to think we got them all by ourselves. God’s promise and warning to Joshua are still important for us to heed today. Go get your blessing… But don’t forget your God!

Blessings, Rev. Glenn

“Walk into that place like God sent you!” P.S. Don’t forget it was God who sent you!