a child of god
this is the way, run in it
Being brave. It's not something that is always easy. I find when God calls me to a task, or asks me to do something, and in particular, just recently, to lay something down, it feels hard/difficult. It requires courage. It requires faith.
What I love about this, though, is when we say, "Ok, God," He steps in and gives us the courage it takes. He makes me brave - there's a song out now about that, isn't there? And it's true. Joshua was encouraged by God to be brave; therefore, he must have needed that encouragement. He must have been finding it hard, difficult, to step out in faith with God. Joshua probably thought he had big shoes to fill - Moses' shoes! But Joshua did step out with God. And look what God did! In the book of Joshua, chapter 1, God encourages Joshua to be brave, "be strong and courageous!", 3 x in the first 9 verses. The Bible says this, "Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD (love that - that Moses even after he has died is still identified by his relationship with God) that the LORD spoke to Joshua, the son of Nun, Moses' servant (again, look at that identification - Joshua seen in correlation with Moses, and as someone who was faithful to serve Moses, just as Moses served God), saying, "Moses, My servant is dead; now, therefore, arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. ...Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you." So Joshua has the LORD God speaking to him, and promising to be with him and to not fail him or leave him hanging. God then goes on to say, "Be strong and courageous...Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go ... then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success." and the verse which we all love and many have memorized, verse 9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." And this is what I have found recently. It was a God appointed time for me to step down from being one of the leaders of our youth group at church, which I had been doing for 5 years. And it was a hard thing to do. I love them. I have prayed for them. I have served them, hopefully faithfully, for 5 years, alongside one of my best friends and the rest of the leaders in the team whom I love and enjoy working with, being with. But it was time. And so it happened, and they all went off together this summer to Soul Survivor, a Christian youth camp, and had a blast and grew in God together, and I didn't get to go. But, it was right. I could see this after the fact. I didn't have the physical strength to go, with a knee that isn't totally well yet. They, themselves, the youth group and the leaders, are going on together from here - and they got the time and space and God attention as a group that was just what they needed. And what about me? God surprised me - I love it when He does that. Some very fruitful prayer times happened, and I'm going to enjoy waiting and watching to see what God brings out of that! Two ministry opportunities were successfully accomplished by the grace of God - and it was right for me to have given myself to those. I learned more about dependency on God, and how He is really all I need, and how much I do need Him. I have learned that when God prompts me to do something, when He tells me to do something, it truly is the right thing to do. So even when it feels hard or difficult to do, I will do it because I know that God is faithful. He has promised to be with me, as He does for all His children, and He keeps His promises. Do I know what is next? No. Do I know the big picture in all its details? No. But I know Who does! Life with God is never boring! and infinitely worth it.
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Franci Ballwatching and working for the kingdom of God in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham - UK Archives
January 2019
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