Be Strong and Courageous Part 1
I’ve heard numerous stories of tragic events around the world lately. Nine people died in the Oregon school shooting.
A coworker, Matt, was injured while overseas. He was hit over the head with a machete during a robbery.
My friend Heather, a World Race Squad Leader, and her squad worked 12 hour shifts encouraging refugees fleeing ISIS. Dozens of refugees have drowned in the Aegean Sea crossing from Turkey to Lesbos, Greece. The squad passed out dry clothing and water to thousands of weary refugees. (You can read their stories here.)
Just in the last month, ISIS killed hundreds of people in Turkey, Beirut, and France.
It is easy to become discouraged and afraid when hearing these stories. At times I find myself getting carried away with “What if” questions about the future based on these events.
However, while these events have been happening, I’ve been reading Deuteronomy and Joshua in which God has a different response for me.
He commands us to be strong and courageous. He says this 9 times (Deut 31:6,7,8,23 & Josh 1:6,7,9,18) so it must be pretty important!
In Deut 31:6 Moses says, “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” In verse 23 the Lord commands Joshua to “Be strong and courageous…I will be with you”.
I love this! The Israelites are about to fight giants and God is focused on spiritual, mental, and emotional training rather than physical training!
He says, “Do not to be afraid” and “Do not panic!” (Deut 31:6).
I don’t know about you but I’m pretty sure I would have a panic attack in the face of literal giants!
In fact, that’s exactly what happened 40 years before!
Numbers 13:32 – 14:1 says, “So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: ‘The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!’ Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night.”
The Israelites panicked instead of listening to Caleb, who said, “If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” (Numbers 14:8-9)
The difference between Caleb and the other men was that he trusted in God and they trusted in themselves!
They focused on their position of “feeling like grasshoppers” rather than God’s position as… well GOD! Caleb, on the other hand, focused on God’s power and love! He knew the Lord wouldn’t abandon them! 1 John 4:18 says “Perfect love expels fear”.
That is as true today as it was for Caleb and the Israelites.
If I trust in God’s love for me and that he will not fail or abandon me, there is no reason to fear.
His love is far greater than any fear.
Part 2 continues next week…
