Never Alone

Scripture

Joshua 1:1-2, 7-9

 1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying, ² “My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites...

⁷ Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. ⁹ I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  (NRSV)

Devotion

Today's passage comes from a moment of crisis.  The Children of Israel had finally made it to the banks of the Jordan River, and After Having climbing a nearby mountain and seeing the Promised Land stretched out before him in all its glory, Moses died in the land of Moab.    Now God has informs Joshua that he will be the one to leads the people as they cross into Canaan and establish their new nation.

Joshua had a tough road ahead of him.  You see, there were already people living in Canaan.  Joshua's knew his job would include leading the Children of Israel into battle with folks who were none too happy to see a horde of new people entering the land.  Then, there would be the monumental task of building settlements, planting crops, etc.  There were a thousand and one things to figure out.  How could the LORD possibly expect Joshua to handle so many potential pitfalls and problems on his own?

Like Joshua, many of us currently find ourselves wondering how on Earth we are supposed to handle things right now.  We have the monumental tasks of ending a pandemic, addressing the many institutional problems and inequalities the virus has exposed, and managing our personal lives in new ways.  The questions, concerns, and recommendations that come with establishing a "new normal" are daunting.  We worry about striking the right balance between our rights as individuals with our responsibility to care for others.  We face hard decisions about what is healthy, what is just, and what is ethical.  There are no easy answers.  Sometimes, the answers we do receive only lead to more questions. It can all feel overwhelming... especially when we feel like we have to figure everything out on our own.

The Good News that God shared with Jeremiah is that he didn't have to make decisions all by himself.  He had the law that God had given to Moses.  Tied to that law were the memories he had of Moses's teachings and the Spirit of God that rested upon him.  When Joshua could commit to reflecting on on God's teachings and acting in ways that were true to them, then he would discover that God was there to help him.  Therefore, Joshua could cast aside his fear and be couragoues; the Lord his God will be with him wherever he goes.

We too can take courage in God's words to Joshua.  We may feel isolated, overwhemed, or unsure at times, but we are never truly alone.  We have God's Word as found in scripture to help guide us.  Just as Joshua had his memories of Moses, we have loved ones, mentors, colleagues, pastors, etc. to help us discern how God's instructions apply to our context.  We also have the Holy Spirit within us, which helps us discern whether our actions are right and in good order.  And as we meditate upon God's law together and do our best to act in ways that follow it, we can take courage in the knowledge that God will be with us wherever we go.

Just because God will always be with us doesn't mean that we won't ever make bad decisions.  There were plenty of moments when Joshua endured the painful consequences of mistakes he made.  There were times that he had to backtrack on a plan or find a new way forward.  But even when those painful moments arose, God stayed with him and helped be successful in his endeavors.  Slowly but surely, a new and prosperous nation was formed in the Land of Milk and Honey.

Beloved, I know that we are all trying to do our best right now.  When it all begins to feel like too much, I encourage you to turn to scripture.  Reach out to someone you trust.  And pray for God to guide you.  Most of all, take courage, oh Child of the Living God.  The storm-clouds may seem to stretch on forever, but golden skies await us.  The wind may howl, but the song of the lark is coming.  And we can find hope that wherever we walk, we never walk alone.

Prayer

Savior, lead us through this time of trouble.  Give us the faith and commitment to keep seeking your wisdom and walking in your ways.  May we ever remember that with you alongside us, our ways shall become prosperous, and we shall be successful in fulfilling your good will for us.  Amen