Last night before I laid down to rest, the above phrase rang in my spirit, and I understood that how I show up matters.
Do NOT be discouraged or dismayed…
As I read about Joshua, something occurred to me. The Lord told him several times not to be afraid or discouraged because He is with him.
Joshua already knew of the Lord and of the Lord’s soverignty, yet the Lord was intentional about assuring him…in accordance with His purpose.
I wondered as I read this passage if Joshua was able to conceptualize how big his assignment really was? The word of God tells us that:
“Moses, my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give them–to the Israelites.
Joshua 1:2
We see that the Lord was very clear. This assignment? It was never about Joshua alone. How many times have I thought to myself about my assignment as though it were mine alone?
If it’s for God, it is never ours alone.
About Delay…
Note that Joshua didn’t wait to begin the work–he simply obeyed. I wonder how many times I’ve delayed because I was thinking too small or because I was attempting to understand fully before I moved.
Maybe I did it out of fear or maybe I needed the reassurance from God? I know many times I had delayed because of the difference. I noticed it was different and historically the world taught me that my different was deficient. BUT GOD.
God had already decided that different is NOT deficient.
Many are aware that things are different. This difference is the very reason many are experiencing increased awareness of the need for use of skills, resources, & knowledge differently.
About Stewardship…
Think ‘Stewardship’: Stewardship of the word, relationships, and our hearts. In him, we will not faulter. With His word written on our hearts and our treasures stored in heaven, we will not be weighed down by doubt.
Fast forward to this morning. Upon waking, I sat in prayer. I thought of the story of Joshua after understanding that the Lord was present with me and that He had never left me. I realized that even though things look different, it doesn’t mean they’re deficient.
Can you imagine being presented with an opportunity so big that the mere idea of obedience begins to feel like oblivion?
If you’ve ever delayed, know this: The Lord himself has already accounted for every step you take, when you take it, and how you take it. Just maybe if you and I incline our hearts to him, we will find that His word is a lamp to our path.
Now about the assignment…
It was never about the weight of the assignment but was always about the weight of the glory of God. May you and I find ourselves whole heartedly resolved to meditate on the word of God-day and night so that we will not grow weary in doing good. (See 2 Chronicles 31:21)
May we find that we’ve practiced good stewardship in relation to the word of God, the work of God, and the wealth of our inheritance as children of God who are called to be set apart for God’s own purpose, not our own.
May we know that the Lord himself has sent provision for the hand-off from the last season to the next. In the days coming, things definitely look different to you and I, but may we be rest assured that the difference is not deficient.
Leave a comment