03- 04- 11 MI DAILY DEVOTION (Joshua 1:1- 3)
WE NEED FAITH AS WE STEP INTO THE LADDER OF GOD’S PREPARED SUCCESS FOR US
1- “Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, 2- Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. 3- Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. 4- From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.”
I had 4 deaths in the family from 2002 to 2008. First it was my father who died and he was the 2nd family members who is very close to us that died after I became a Christian. And it was followed by my oldest brother and then my mother which after a few months my younger brother went to be with them. It was not easy going through things like that, it was tough and it will really get into your emotion. During the time of Joshua, he went through the same struggles and pain. It was by the death of Moses, his leader, his mentor, his friend and he was dear to him and Moses was his example and the one who help him grow in the Lord and in the leadership. But God has to call his servant Moses home and for Joshua, it was not easy. In verse 1 notice what it says, “Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,” It’s good to have someone to talk with when you’re going through things like this. It’s a blessing to know if you have friends who would be there for you when you just lost a love one. During the time of Joshua, they don’t have facebook, internet or email to check into if you have friends from far left you a message saying that they’re praying for you and they love you and say their condolences and sometimes gives you some comforting words. So for Joshua, he has to go through to at least 2.5 million people to get some words of comfort and sympathy. And he may have some fresh words and encouraging words from friends and families. But the time has come that it was the Lord who was to speak to him not to comfort him but to ordain him, to pass on to him the baton, to give him the responsibilities to lead the children of Israel on to their journey to the promise land. The Lord spoke to Joshua to make him get up and start working for Him and for God’s people. (Psalm 37:23) “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” I don’t know what would be your feeling if your boss or employer will call you while you’re mourning for the death of someone special to you and would ask you to come in for work. When my mother passed away, my employer gave me a paid vacation. When my brother passed away, they do the same. And of course, you expect people to call you and say good and encouraging words to you, but calling you to “arise” and “go”; “ah, uhmm, ah, I don’t think so” or “let me think about it…” could be answer. But that was what the Lord did to Joshua; while he was mourning due to the death of his mentor and leader, God called him to “arise and go…”
And notice the Lord’s instruction to Joshua the son of Nun in verses 2 and 3; “Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. 3- Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.”
