Adapted from November 2015

 

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.”

Joshua 1:9

 

Villages in the Greek islands are built on hills, meaning that many streets are steep. Stairways are unavoidable if you are to get around. This makes life for elderly men and women difficult. They need to be courageous simply to go from one place to another. Imagine trying to climb stairways one after another with the pain of arthritic knees.

Women like the one in this picture would do well to listen to God’s commandment to Joshua: “Be strong and courageous.” Wouldn’t we all do well to listen to this? In Joshua 1:5b, God said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  How good that is to know! How he encourages us!

Joshua needed boldness to cross the Jordan to the land God had promised the Israelites. He needed to trust God. Trusting God was what helped him make it across.

What we’re undertaking during this time of Covid is not as great a feat as Joshua’s…Or is it? All of us need courage. Though we don’t always know the outcome, we can trust that God will be in it. Though the climb might be long and hard, we need to trust that we can make it to where we need to go.

Overcoming the many challenges that come our way takes courage. The small ones and the bigger ones. They could be financial challenges, health challenges, emotional challenges, situational challenges like we all face today.

What stairway are you climbing? What paths are you following?

With courage we embark on the journeys God sends us on. God says, “Believe that I will be with you. You don’t need to be afraid.” When we trust God, his presence will be within us and surrounding us. We will be at peace, assured that we will have the strength to carry on.

Big challenges can be difficult to overcome. It takes a hanging on, a keeping on, one step at a time. Much like crossing the Jordan was for Joshua, our challenges may seem insurmountable. But when we trust our God—he who told us he would be with us wherever we go—we can overcome, we can achieve. We will be able to arrive at the place God intends for us.

marja