Ready to Go

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Opening Prayer

Holy Spirit of God, bring me to deeper levels of Your truth. Instruct me how to trust Your underlying control, when to me all seems like chaos.

Read Joshua 1:10–18

^[10] So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: ^[11] “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.'” ^[12] But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, ^[13] “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you after he said, ‘The LORD your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’ ^[14] Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are to help them ^[15] until the LORD gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the LORD your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.” ^[16] Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. ^[17] Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses. ^[18] Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”

Meditate

God establishes leaders to fulfill his plan. God brings success when we follow his appointed leader.

Think Further

It was almost time to go; God’s promise was about to be fulfilled (11). But

the work was only beginning and the Israelites needed to prepare. Moving house can be exciting,

but it’s usually the start of a lot of hard work! So the Israelites needed to have everything ready

for the move. After all these years, three days was short notice! Could you move quickly if God

called?

For some of the tribes, however, this experience was going to be different. Moses had allowed

them to live east of the Jordan—they didn’t have to cross over (13). It would have been so easy

for them to smile nicely, wave goodbye and even promise to pray for the others as they took up

this challenge! But Joshua reminded them that they were all in it together. This wasn’t, “Here I

am Lord, send my brother”; Moses hadn’t excluded these three tribes from sharing in the

struggle (14; Num. 32:1–22). The “rest” which they were enjoying (15) was for the other tribes

too. As was said of William Carey’s pioneering missionary society in the eighteenth century, it

was a case of the committed-here supporting the committed-there.

However, the tables were about to turn. So far, Joshua, the new leader, had instructed the people

and encouraged them. Now they encouraged him (16–18)! Can you imagine what that felt like

for him? Leadership can feel very lonely, and often those being led make it more so. But not

here. Their promise of obedience wasn’t based on blind trust in him. It was based on their hope

and expectation that God would be with him (17). No wonder Scripture encourages us to pray for

our leaders!

It was almost time to go; God’s promise was about to be fulfilled (11). But the work was only beginning and the Israelites needed to prepare. Moving house can be exciting, but it’s usually the start of a lot of hard work! So the Israelites needed to have everything ready for the move. After all these years, three days was short notice! Could you move quickly if God
called? For some of the tribes, however, this experience was going to be different. Moses had allowed them to live east of the Jordan—they didn’t have to cross over (13). It would have been so easy for them to smile nicely, wave goodbye and even promise to pray for the others as they took up this challenge! But Joshua reminded them that they were all in it together. This wasn’t, “Here I am Lord, send my brother”; Moses hadn’t excluded these three tribes from sharing in the
struggle (14; Num. 32:1–22). The “rest” which they were enjoying (15) was for the other tribes too. As was said of William Carey’s pioneering missionary society in the eighteenth century, it was a case of the committed-here supporting the committed-there. However, the tables were about to turn. So far, Joshua, the new leader, had instructed the people
and encouraged them. Now they encouraged him (16–18)! Can you imagine what that felt like for him? Leadership can feel very lonely, and often those being led make it more so. But not here. Their promise of obedience wasn’t based on blind trust in him. It was based on their hope and expectation that God would be with him (17). No wonder Scripture encourages us to pray for our leaders!

Apply

Take time today to phone or email someone you know who is relatively new to leadership. Encourage them—and pray for them too!

Closing prayer

Lord, I lift up to You those who are in leadership roles in my world. Instruct them, empower them and encourage them.

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