DEVOTION – DAY 602

Joshua 1:9 “God Is With Us Always”

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid: do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

At the start of Joshua Chapter 1, we learnt that after Moses had died, the Lord commanded Joshua to lead the Israelites to the Land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were to be strong and courageous. God also reminded them to obey all His commands and His Word. Then, God will prosper them. That leads us to the above verse. Joshua was only an aide of Moses. He lacked Moses’ experience and stature. Leading the Israelites to occupy the Land may seemed beyond his abilities. 

But God reminded Joshua – he is to be strong and courageous. He must not be afraid or discouraged because God will be with him wherever he goes. That is a great promise and it is very comforting and assuring. Today, God’s assurance of His presence is still applicable to us. We may be facing job insecurity, fearful that AI is going to make our jobs redundant. We may be facing health issues that may disable us. We may face relationships with loved ones over misunderstandings and past hurts, and every time we try to make amends, it just gets worse. We may have failed in something and we are unsure as to what to do next. No one knows what tomorrow will bring but God promises us of His gracious presence. He tells us to be strong and courageous. He will cause us to prosper provided we remain faithful to His commands and do what is right by Him, not based on our own thinking.

We know someone who was shocked when he was diagnosed with cancer stage 3. He was advised to begin immediate treatment. He had to apply for medical leave from work. He had to tell his wife and children. He was fearful. What if the treatment did not work and the cancer progresses? What if he did not survive? What will happen to his family? He could only cry out to God. He held onto the promise of this verse and that he will face all the challenges ahead depending on God’s strength. He will trust God with the outcome. Instead of turning away from God and asking God why He allowed the cancer, he chose to draw close to Him and His Word. He found peace, comfort and strength as he continues with the cancer treatment.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence in our lives. Please help us to depend on you and lean on our own understanding. Help us to draw strength, courage, peace, comfort from you, and not keep our eyes on our circumstances. In the great name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

  1. What challenges and tough circumstances are you facing?
  2. What causes fear and anxiety in you?
  3. How might you draw more of the strength and courage from God to face your tough circumstances?
  4. What changes will you make to draw closer to God and His Word?