Joshua 1:1-9
I wonder if Frank Abagnale ever felt in over his head? Explain Frank’s con-man history based off of Catch Me if You Can (Amazon). By the time he was 21, he had conned his way into being a pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer! Can you imagine what he must have thought as he looked at the airplane controls the first time he stepped into the cockpit? Or the first time he argued in front of a judge or diagnosed a patient? He certainly was never qualified to do those things, though he was confident enough to play it off! Have you ever felt in over your head? Maybe started your first day at a job and wondered when everyone would realize that you have no idea what you are doing? I can only imagine our friend Joshua felt like that when he took over the leadership for the Israelites. Just consider the footsteps Joshua had to follow from Moses’ ministry over the last 40+ years!
I remember the first time I preached. I had oddles of butterflies from nerves and over excitement–I was tasked to lead the ministry team and give the message at the senior adult breakfast. Boy was I in over my head! And the scary thing about being in over your head is that you get this kind of tunnel vision – everyone is looking at you, everyone is waiting for you to fail, everyone knows that you will be found out the fraud. These fears isolate you – from everyone else, but most importantly, God. When we fall in over our heads, we see ourselves as alone in this world with any lifelines completely out of reach. But that’s just simply not true. God’s presence is with you and we see that in His voice and in His message. We know He’s there when He speaks and when He commands. We just need to see it.
God Speaks
Joshua spent the last 40 years watching God protect the Israelites while sitting under the tutelage of Moses. Yet once the leadership was his, Joshua was still afraid. Wouldn’t you be? Wouldn’t you feel in over your head at that point? God knew exactly what Joshua needed and so God spoke. Directly and clearly. Joshua knew that God would be with Him because God said that He would – it is literally there in v5 and repeated in v9! Because God spoke, Joshua knew that God was with him and would lead him on a successful venture. When God speaks, we can know and be comforted that He is in control, seeing the situation through to its successful end. If only He still spoke, right? If only we could hear His voice today and know that everything would turn out well. After all, that worked for Joshua! Or did it?
Yes, he walked in courage and led the Israelites, but certainly not without troubles, challenges, and difficulties. Thankfully, God didn’t speak to Joshua one time and call it good, He kept speaking to Joshua, and He keeps speaking today. No, it doesn’t sound quite the same, but it’s the truth. God speaks in a lot of ways, but there are two ways in which He mainly speaks and we all can hear. First is through the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it may be with groanings too deep for words (Rom 8:26), but the HS is there with us at all times speaking to us whatever He wants us to hear. That’s one way – the other main way He speaks is through scripture (2 Tim 3:16). Yes, these words were written to people who lived a long time ago and it is their stories, but scripture is God’s revealing of Himself to us – we know and hear Him through what happened long ago. Through scripture, God is with us, soaking into our very core.
God Gives Purpose
As important as understanding that God speaks to us is understanding what He says. In v2, God told Joshua to go forward and take over the land. He gave Joshua a job, a purpose. This is a big deal. According to the Mayo clinic, “Studies show that those with a purpose live longer, sleep better and have a more robust immune system, lower stress levels and better cognitive function” (Mayo Clinic). Medical science has definitively determined that purpose is good for you. God took it a bit further. Did you know we will have purpose in heaven? We had purpose before the fall – it’s part of our original design without sin. Living without purpose is like living with a hole in our chest. God gave us all a purpose – to make disciples by being His witnesses. We can know and experience His presence with us when we are living with His purpose at the forefront. One thing I couldn’t shake when I ran from God was His calling over me. I wanted to pretend He wasn’t there, but in His purpose, His presence stayed with me.
Next Steps
God’s promise to be with us comes through His speaking to us and the purpose He gives us. This is His promise, and it holds true for us all.
- Trust in the promise of God to always be there, by obeying and stepping in His commands over you.
- Step out of your comfort zone in confidence that He is with you by engaging with people for gospel purposes.
- Be in scripture daily and learn how to see God more clearly.
One thing is for sure – like Joshua, like myself, and most likely like Frank Abagnale, you will feel in over your head. But God is faithful to be with you as you obey His purpose and follow His voice.
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