Joshua 1 - Life After Death

When a dear loved one passes, our hearts ache. It may seem that time stands still with no direction and purpose. Moses had led Israel for 40 years and now was gone. For many I am sure that stopping there and giving up would have seemed reasonable. Moses had given the people their marching orders for so long. 

Joshua now is called to stand in the place of Moses as the leader for the nation. HUGE shoes to fill. Yet the Lord comes along side Joshua to remind him their strength and purpose is not found in following a man, but in following the Lord. They had yet to take possession of the Promised  Land, and God was not done yet. God had a plan and purpose for their lives even after the passing of Moses. 

The nation needed a new breath of life and God was there to give it to them. They were to continue the mission and assume control of the lands they were given. It was a new chapter and all new chapters are scary with the unknown staring you right in the face.  The Lord says one phrase over and over through this chapter, "be strong and courageous. I challenge you to underline each time it is stated in your Bible. God reminded Joshua and the people of Israel that He would not leave them. He would go before them as they entered this new chapter and would give their enemies into their hands. 

Even as they were fulfilling God's plans they would honor the legacy of Moses; completing what he could not. They would not be forgetting the man who lead them so far, they would carry on his work by not giving into despair and fear but by girding themselves up in the power the Lord would supply and finishing the mission. 

When we have lost a dear one it may seem that life as we know it has passed and that we too have died a little with that one we loved so much.  They encouraged us and strengthened us, our plans were joined with theirs. I believe God would say the same to us today, "be strong and courageous, I am with you and there is still my plan for your life to complete". Your love for that dear one is not diminished if you carry on; your love is demonstrated in the fulfillment of the plans that were begun. After all, their story is woven into the tapestry of God's love story to mankind, you are the thread now finishing out this work. 

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him.