Photo by Mohammed Imran
BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS
I want to tell you a story about Joshua. When God was preparing him to cross the Jordan River into the land He would give him, He said to him:
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)
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!
Joshua needed boldness. He needed to trust God. Trusting God was what helped him eventually make it across.
Although we’re not Joshua, we too are undertaking a great feat. We too 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, 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.
It’s bringing back the knowledge that God is God and that He always will be, especially to people who suffer. People like the Rohingya. It’s to know His great love for us—a greater love than any other. It’s the peace that comes with that knowledge.
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, Rohingya challenges may seem insurmountable. But when we trust God—He who told us that 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.
Do I hear an “amen”?
marja
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