Joshua 1:6-7
6 Be strong and confident and courageous, for you will give this people as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers (ancestors) to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do [everything] in accordance with the entire law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper and be successful wherever you go.
Have you ever seen the start of a marathon race? Usually you will see hundreds if not thousands of people excited about the race ahead. Soon the gun shot for the race to start sounds and off they go running in their thousands. You only have to wait for some time and soon enough you will begin to see a demarcation as people begin to cluster into groups and you will be able to tell the serious and determined ones from those who were there just for the thrill of starting. Not only do you need courage to run the marathon, you also need great determination to endure the long race. In order to cross the finish line
‘Be strong and courageous’ is a statement that God made to Joshua several times and I believe God did so because the journey ahead for Joshua was not an easy one. Joshua led Israel in fighting 13 battles. This was a long journey something that many would lose the determination to finish. As much as God gave Joshua the promise that He would give them the land they would tread on, He interestingly left out the detail that they would have to fight for the land; He did not tell Joshua that there were 13 battles ahead.
Starting is easy everybody can do it, but do you have the stamina and determination to stay the course to the end when things get tough? Will your faith still be intact when things don’t go your way?
One thing I am learning in my walk with God is that it is in the journey that I get to understand and know who God is. Many people get so fixated on the destination they forget to enjoy the journey. When the children of Israel left Egypt to enter into the Promised Land, they complained so much during the journey so much so that they did not enter. They failed to understand that it was in the journey that they had an opportunity to discover and know the God who had called them out. Whenever they encountered a little problem they would complain and want to turn back and return to the place of oppression in Egypt.
Are you courageous and determined? Determination is hinged on obedience while obedience is hinged on hearing. This one thing is true, Joshua heard the Lord loud and Clear no wonder he walked in obedience and determination even when other voices tried to discourage him.
What about you?
