strong and courageous

6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:6-9

During my wife Mary's difficult pregnancy, complicated by phlebitis, we had to fight off fear every day. Remarkably, she never had to spend a day in the hospital until she delivered Josh. There was no further clotting and there was no hemorrhaging. Everything went absolutely perfectly.

But we didn't know we would have such a wonderful outcome. I will never forget the night I woke up at 3 a.m. in an absolute cold sweat. I had dreamed that Mary had not survived the birth of our son. In my dream she started to hemorrhage right after delivering Josh, and the doctors were unable to stop it. She died and I was left with three kids under five. It was a horrible nightmare.

I was absolutely panicked by the fear of what might happen. The future looked dark and my human strength was sapped. I couldn't see the next step and neither could Mary. Quite frankly, neither could the doctors. They were the doing the best they could, but they had never been in this exact situation either. I must tell you that things appeared to be bleak. I was filled with fear. But God spoke to our hearts and carried us through that difficult time.

It reminds me of what God did for Joshua so many years ago. The young man had some big shoes to fill. Moses was gone, and now he was the appointed leader of God's people. The Jordan River had to be crossed and a land had to be taken. What did God do? He gave Joshua a promise and some words of comfort: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

God promised to be with Joshua as he faced an unknown future. He fulfilled that promise in amazing ways. And my wife and I experienced God's promised care of our family.

Be strong and courageous in him today! He will provide the way, but we must take courage in him and press on. —Steve Farrar stevefarrar.com

seeking: Father, how have you just encouraged me? What have you called me to do in a specific situation that requires courage that is found in you?

responding: When have I experienced great fear in life? How does knowing that God is with me help me with my fear? What does it take to be strong and courageous?

Father, I praise you for faithfully leading me. Help me to cling to your promises and not to give in to my fears. You are the source of my strength and my courage!

following: Courage is found in believing God's promises.

our journey