Big Shoes To Fill

Joshua 1:9 - "This is my command - be strong and courageous!  Do not be afraid or discouraged.  For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Joshua had some pretty big shoes to fill, don't you think?  His boss had just died, and not just any boss.  Moses was pretty tight with God.  The Bible tells us that Lord buried Moses Himself (Deuteronomy 34:6).  Whether the passage literally meant that God did it personally, or meant that He sent an angel to tend to Moses burial isn't the important part.  The important part is that God didn't leave it up to the Israelites to do it.  He took a personal interest in making sure Moses was taken care of.  I'd say that's a pretty tight friendship, wouldn't you?

Now that Joshua's boss and friend was gone, he was given the charge of leading God's people into the Promised Land.  While Joshua had the background and training as a military leader, this was a big step up for him.  Think he might have been a little nervous, perhaps even unsure of himself?  I think so.  Who wouldn't be?

God tells us the things He does for specific reasons.  Every word that comes from Him has a purpose.  He doesn't do idle chit chat.  Whether we understand the specific purpose of God's instructions at the time we receive them is another story; sometimes we realize it later.  But God's words always have a useful reason behind them.

When I read these first nine verses of the Joshua 1, I see God trying to build up Joshua's confidence.  I also hear God telling Joshua all he needs to remember to lead God's people in the way that God wanted him to.

Three times He reminded Joshua to be strong and courageous (verses 6, 7, & 9).  Twice God told him that if he followed Moses instructions that were received from God, He would be successful (verses 7 & 8).  That was God's way of intentionally showing Joshua that He chose him, He had confidence in him, and He had already given him the instructions he needed to add to his already great military experience and training.  All he had to do was follow them.

The beauty of all of this, is that God does this for each and every one of us.  The Bible is God's gift to all of us, and it shows us how to prosper and succeed in all we do.  God also takes the time to intentionally show us that He has specific plans for each and every one of us.  God doesn't want us to be something we're not.

Some of us may have had the type of parents or bosses who tried to make us clones of themselves.  The kind of parents that said, "You have to do this because you're my child and that's what's expected of you."  Or the type of boss that said, "I need to you to do this like so and so did, because that's what works."  I was blessed that I didn't have those type of parents, but I have had those types of bosses in the past..  And I have struggled to try and fill anyone's shoes but my own.

God didn't make us clones of each other.  He didn't make mankind a one size fits all.  He made us all individual and unique.  He gave each of us a unique calling on our lives to serve His Kingdom and His people.  He didn't give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but He told us to be strong and courageous.  He wants us to embrace our uniqueness and be obedient to His call on our lives.  And when we do, He promises to make us successful and be with us wherever we go.

All we have to do is be who He created us to be.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for making me the unique person I am, and for loving me regardless of my shortcomings.  I know that I have not always been obedient to Your call, but You have never left me in the dust to fend for myself.  You have always been there, even though I didn't realize it.  I am grateful for Your mercy and grace that continues to develop this work in progress until the day of completion.  I pray for those that are trying to fit some mold that others have told them they are supposed to be.  My prayer is that they will realize that they only need to be who You made them to be, because You took the time to intimately form them, and You have a unique and perfect plan for their lives.  I pray they will respond to Your Holy Spirit speaking to their hearts, and be strong and courageous to obediently follow Your call for their life, and not the world's call.  I pray we all do.  In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!



God Bless!!!