Readings for today: Deuteronomy 31-34
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Put yourself in Joshua’s sandals. You’ve grown up in Egypt. Felt the sting of the whip on your back. Lived under brutal oppression. You’ve walked through the Red Sea. You’ve eaten the manna from heaven. You’ve drunk water from the rock. You’ve seen Mt. Sinai burst into flame. You’ve heard the thunder of God’s voice. You’ve seen firsthand the miracles of God performed by this amazing man named Moses who’s become your mentor and spiritual hero. And you’ve been faithful as well. You’ve served Moses most of your adult life. You were one of the faithful spies who brought back a good report. And now the time has come for you to lead. Moses is dying. The torch is passing. The mantle is falling on your shoulders.
The burden of leadership had to be heavy. You are being called to lead the conquest of the Promised Land. A land filled with tribes of pagan people who worship others gods and who will not go quietly. Furthermore, you know the fickle hearts of the people you lead. You’ve watched them shrink from God’s call time and time again. You’ve endured their grumbling on so many occasions. You know their hearts are easily stirred to fear. Your only hope is to trust in the promises of God. To be strong and courageous as you look to Lord. To trust in His abiding presence. To know He will never leave you or forsake you.
It’s actually not all that hard to imagine in our current crisis, is it? I think of the doctors and nurses and other healthcare workers I know who are working long hours in the fight against the coronavirus. I think of the sanitation workers who are cleaning the streets, washing down the operating rooms, wiping down everything from door knobs to tile floors to toilet seats to public garbage cans all in an effort to keep us safe. I think of the business owners - large and small - who are doing all they can to keep people employed. I think of the staffers in capital buildings across America working on local, state, and federal levels to implement plans to slow the virus down. I think of the decision-makers. Our president and congressional leaders. Our governors and mayors and town council leaders. The burdens they carry are enormous and every decision has a ripple effect on so many levels. It cannot be easy. I’m praying they place their trust in the promise of God.
And then I think of you. I think of the burdens you must be carrying. Homeschooling children. Upending your life to work at home. Wondering if/when the layoff might come. Maybe some of you know someone who is sick. A loved one. A friend. A neighbor. A co-worker. Maybe you have friends and family who are engaged on the front lines of this fight and you worry for their safety. Maybe this self-quarantine has exacerbated some underlying issues in your marriage or family that have now burst out into the open. This promise from God is for you as well.
Be strong and courageous, friends. When a plague strikes without warning. When the economy begins to shut down. When schools close. When a shelter in place order is given. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not dread for God is with us! He never distances Himself from us! He will never leave us nor forsake us!
Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 1-2, Psalms 105