Joshua and God's Promise (The Story: Chapter 7)
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... (Joshua 1:5-6) I am always amazed as I read Joshua's conversation with God. Joshua is given the awesome responsibility of leading two million Israelites to Canaan to take the land God was giving to them. He was Moses' aide, so he saw the challenges of leadership through the wilderness: grumbling, confusion, discomfort, competing alliances, sacrifice and wandering. Joshua needed some reassurance, some confidence that he could fulfill his role as a leader. So God gives him a promise and the people give him a promise. God says "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you." The people said, "As we were with Moses, so we will be with you." I like God's promise a little better. God was with Moses in personal and powerful ways. He went with Moses. He worked through Moses.