May 3, 2020
Dearly Beloved, I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given for you today, is from the book of Joshua. 1:5, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses So I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people, you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.”
From the above context we understand that Moses the elect leader of the people of Israel, who went up to mount Nebo to the top of Pisgah looked over the promised land, of Israel and died at the age of 120 in Moab. He did not enter the land of Canaan. As a result all the people were distressed and troubled in their heart over the death of their leader who had brought them up to the borders of Jordan. Now there was doubt, fear, and anxiety in the minds and hearts of the people of Israel. They wondered as to who would lead them further into the land of Canaan. And it was at that time when God appointed Joshua as the next leader to lead the people of Israel into the land of Canaan.
When Joshua was elected as the next leader of Israel, he was troubled in his heart, as to what he was going to do in future with the people of Israel, and how he was going to lead them into the land of Canaan. So God called Joshua, and assured him that He was there with him and asked him not to be troubled. He tells Joshua, “’No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses So I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, ”God actually encouraged Joshua, to carry out his mission. After Elijah God chose Elisha, Apostle Paul prepared Timothy to carry on his discipleship. The death of ministers, apostles and preachers cannot arrest the task of the Lord. God Himself appointed new leaders as soon as the former leader had completed his task.
Some of you like Job, who have lost everything in life, are reading this message. May be you are disturbed in your heart as to what God has in store for you. Well it is only in such trying period, that you tend to draw close to God. Both Job’s wife and his friends criticised Job for his righteousness and asked him to curse God and die. But Job never sinned against God by his mouth. Therefore God blessed the latter part of his life. Only when you go through a great loss in your life, God changes your sorrow into joy. God immediately changed the sorrow of the people of Israel into joy by electing a new leader Joshua, to take care of them in the wilderness. God tells Joshua, “Be strong and of good courage, do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you, wherever you go. Similarly God is encouraging you today that He will lead you safe in the land of the living. He will instruct you with His eyes and lead you beside the still waters. Though you walk through the way of darkness, He will lead you with His rod and staff, So be cheerful in the Lord. Hold on to Him, then he will turn your sorrow into joy.
Prayer: Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Lord we are thankful to you for appointing new leaders the moment the former leader completes his task. Thank you Lord for your care and concern regarding the people of Israel. You not only led them to the land flowing with milk and honey but also made Joshua to distribute the land as an inheritance which God had sworn to their fathers. Lord bless us, as you blessed the Israelites.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
