S222P8 – Lessons from Joshua: a word passed on

Jos. 23:5-9

The LORD your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight.  And you shall possess their land, just as the LORD your God promised you.  Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day.  For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations.  And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day.

We know that by this time Joshua had advanced in age.  There was still much to be done for the Israelites, which the Lord told Joshua He would take care of.  Like any mortal man, Joshua could feel his age and knew that his time was growing closer and closer.  This meant that he would have to leave the people he had been charged to lead, but he could not leave them without expressing a critical truth.  It is the same critical truth that the Lord had expressed to Joshua over and over again.  It is the same critical truth that God’s word expresses to us even today.  The people would need to be strong if they were to remain faithful to the Lord, and they had to be reminded of that.

Part of Joshua’s message here is an instruction not to divert to the left or to the right.  This is not the only place we see this expressed in the scriptures, and it speaks of the common challenge of all believers throughout all of time.  There is a straight path ahead into the kingdom of God.  There are other paths in this world that want to take us elsewhere, and they will distract us on all sides.  Joshua understood the difficulty in this because he had to exercise this strength throughout his ministry for the Lord.  Now he would be leaving others behind, and he knew how valuable this encouragement would be for them.  The strength he had drawn from the Lord he passed on to them through these words.

God will give us all words of encouragement throughout our journeys here on the Earth.  Sometimes these words come from the mouth of another believer, and sometimes they come from the scriptures.  Perhaps God speaks to you in a dream to give you strength and courage to persevere.  Regardless of the method of the message, his words of encouragement are valuable beyond the hearer.  When we see others in the same spot, we should pass along that encouragement.  Whether strength, courage, wisdom or peace, we can share that support with those who have the same need.  Father, thank You for the ways in which You encourage us, and help us to encourage others who need it just as much.