Promise (part 2)

In the last post I touched on Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." I explained that I take comfort and courage from this verse.  It is both a charge,"be strong and courageous" and a promise "I'm with you" from God.  So cool!

Now let's examine the context of this conversation between God and Joshua. I'll dial back to verse 1 and work up to verse 9, so we can unpack the whole interchange.  "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 Great Sea on the west." Joshua 1:1-4

The Bible doesn't give us any insight into what Joshua is thinking or feeling at this point.  So I'll use my imagination to try and fill in those blanks.  Joshua was standing in the Israelite camp on the banks of the Jordan.  I imagine him looking across the river at the Promised Land on the other side.  At this time of year the river would have been swollen with flood waters so Joshua would see the Promised Land in the distance but there's this barrier, this raging torrent of a river, between him and his promise of God.  Joshua might have seen the river as a frustration, a discouragement, an unconquerable obstacle.  I don't know.  But in reading the 4 verses above I think I know what God wants Joshua to see.  I think God wants Joshua to see the opportunity, not the obstacle.  Many times our opportunities come wrapped in an obstacle.  But God's perspective is different and he wants us to see what he sees.  Look at what God said about the obstacle..."cross the Jordan River"...4 words in 4 verses dedicated to the obstacle.  Now check out what he says about the opportunity..."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 Great Sea on the west."  You can count the words if you want, but it's clear that God put his focus on the opportunity (the promise) not the obstacle.

It was true for Joshua on the banks of the Jordan back in the day.  And it's true for me and you on the brink of our obstacles today.  Get your eye on the prize.  See the obstacle as a step toward the opportunity.  The promise is already yours, just take that first step; overcome the obstacle and seize your opportunity!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more from Joshua in the days ahead!