Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - How to Have Courage Through Uncertainty | The Life of Joshua | Joshua 1:1-9

Starting point is 00:00:00 Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life in the time it takes to get to work. I'm Keith Simon. And I'm Patrick Miller. Right now, we're going through the book of Joshua. Also, if you want to connect with us, follow us on Twitter at TMBT podcast. You can also check out our hashtag, hashtag, AskT, TMBT, where you can ask us anything, and we'd love to connect with you. How does every Star Wars movie begin? It's like a big space scene, and then you see the word.

Starting point is 00:00:34 long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away. And then the theme song gets on. It's like, I won't keep singing. You don't need to be forced through that. But after that, what happens? There's the yellow text that starts to scroll up on the screen, and that text sets the stage. It tells you what happened before the movie. It's setting the context. And this is actually a common thing in the Bible as well, setting up the context of a story so that you're ready to read what happens next. Ruth 1-1 says, in the days of the judges, there's your context. When the judges were ruling and leading over Israel, Ezra 1-1, in the first year of Cyrus, King of Persia. Again, that sets up the story for Ezra. The Israelites are in exile. In Cyrus, the

Starting point is 00:01:20 King of Persia is about to do something. Well, the book of Joshua is no different. Actually, it's just a little bit different, because whereas those books start with a nice little introduction, this book starts with God speaking directly to Joshua, and God is setting the context of what's going to happen next in Joshua's life. Verse two, this is what God says to Joshua, Moses, my servant is dead. Now you, and all these people, get ready to cross the river Jordan into the land that I am about to give them. It's actually a terrifying context, isn't it? God's saying Israel's most charismatic, significant, world-changing leader, he's just died and, and you, Joshua, you're on deck next. What do you think God would say to you? I mean, if someone

Starting point is 00:02:06 was writing the story of your life, what's the context of your life? Is it Heather, who lived in the days of two-day shipping? Sierra, who lived when more couples met online than in person. Jeremy, who lived in the days when anxiety disorders reached their pinnacle. Ben, who lived in the days when people spent more time looking at their phone than their spouse. If someone was writing your story, how would they set up the context in your story? If God was writing to you, how would he set up the context of your story? This is actually one of the differences, by the way, between childish and adult thinking. It's really tragic because a child just takes their context for granted. For example, if a child's dad is verbally abusive and he verbally abuses him every day, well, that child is going to

Starting point is 00:02:56 assume that all children grow up in homes where dads verbally abuse their kids. Or if a kid grows up with a father who's kind and generous, well, she'll assume that all kids grow up with kind, generous dads. You see, kids aren't aware of their context. They take it as a given. The question for you is, are you aware of your context? Do you know how your story would start if someone was writing it today? Or have you just taken your reality as a given? Your reality is not a given. It's unique to right now. What would be the first verse of the story that someone would write about your life? If someone wrote your story, what would be the things that they said you were battling right now? Back to Joshua.

Starting point is 00:03:38 He's in the midst of, I'm sure, a terrible internal battle because, again, his context is terrifying. Leadership changes are always hard. Death and grief, they can be debilitating. But that's exactly where he's at. His lifelong mentor, Moses, is dead. He's gone. Israel's now looking to him as their leader, and they're about to be. embark on a campaign to do something that they've never done before and somehow he's got to be able

Starting point is 00:04:02 to lead them and isn't that the context of our life sometimes just the context itself is almost too much to handle like we aren't sure how to take the next step forward in a marriage that seems stuck or with a kid we can't reach or in a school where you feel out of place or at an office where you're not really sure what your future there is everybody has a context you have a a context. Your story has a context. So what does God want to say to you right now in the midst of your story, in the midst of your context? No matter how challenging it is, what do you think God wants to say? Well, again, let's just look at what God says to Joshua. He repeats a phrase over and over again that I think God wants to speak into your context. Verse 6, be strong and courageous.

Starting point is 00:04:51 for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 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. 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. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don't be frightened. Don't be dismayed.

Starting point is 00:05:31 For Yahweh, your God is with you wherever you go. Did you hear that refrain? Be strong and courageous. Be strong and courageous. Be strong and very courageous. Three times God repeats that to Joshua. Now, why in the world should Joshua, of all people, be strong? and courageous? Is it because he's eminently qualified for the job? Highly competent? He's arriving with a proven track record? No. God says nothing about Joshua's talents, character, personality.

Starting point is 00:06:04 It's not because those things don't matter. They do. They're just secondary. Why does God tell Joshua to be strong and very courageous? Well, he tells him why in the very last verse. He says, don't be frightened, don't be dismayed. Why? For Yahweh, your God is with you wherever you go. Whatever the context of your life is, there are surely parts of it that you aren't competent enough or talented enough or immoral enough to take them on. You know it. It's the little insecurities that keep you up at night, that you try to hide from other people. You know, it's that little voice that you're trying to ignore. But God says, you're right. You don't have what it takes to do it on your own. But you're not on your own. Yahweh, your God, is with you, wherever you go.

Starting point is 00:06:54 This is the gift of God's love for you in Jesus. He's with you, wherever you go. How is he with you? Well, another point that God repeats to Joshua two times in this passage is that Joshua needs to root his life in the word of God. In fact, God says to Joshua, meditate on it when, day and night, just all the time. How is God with you right now? He is most present with you in his word. Through things like this podcast that you're listening to right now. Because in God's word, he gives you the wisdom that you need to go forward in your life. In God's word, he challenges those parts of you that need to die and be resisted. In God's word, he speaks to you like a gentle father who can guide you on your path. What's the context of your story? What's the yellow text

Starting point is 00:07:43 scrolling up on the screen, setting the context of right now. Whatever that context is, be strong and courageous because the living God, the creator, is with you right now. Jesus is present in your story, and he has everything you need to weather the challenges that are coming in front of you. Be strong and courageous, not because you trust yourself, but because you trust God, and you trust that God will give you strength, give you grace, give you whatever you need to go forward with his calling on your life.

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Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - How to Have Courage Through Uncertainty | The Life of Joshua | Joshua 1:1-9

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