Wherever You Go

I have never experienced a time in my life quite like the one we all are living in today. Yet, God has chosen this time in history for me to lead His church. Did He make a mistake? Does He really know what He's doing? I'm constantly reminding Him that I don't have the foggiest idea how to lead right now, that I'm just struggling to keep my congregation afloat.I know He's about to do something new, fresh, and amazing! I want to be a part of it, but I wonder if I'm up for the task, Do I have the skills and the knowledge to lead the church during these turbulent times?

I'm sure this is how Joshua must have felt when God asked Him to lead the Israelites after the passing of Mosses. Joshua was a brave warrior who had led the armies to many successes. He wasn't afraid of battle, yet God tells Him three times in the first nine verses of Chapter One to be "Strong and Courageous." Could it be that God saw something the others around Joshua could not see? Was Joshua putting on a brave face to bring peace of mind to the nation of Israel while trembling in fear in his heart? Was Joshua doubting his skills and ability to succeed in this new task? I believe he was, and the truth is he didn't. He didn't have the foggiest idea how to lead, and He would have never succeeded had he not trust the Lord and His plans, no matter how crazy they sounded.

Joshua found success in putting his faith in trust in this promise of God. "do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." In other words, "Joshua everywhere you go, I will go. I will give you the knowledge and skills you need to succeed." What an encouragement! Joshua saw all that had happened under Mosses' leadership. He saw the successes the nation of Israel had when followed the Lords lead and the failures they suffered when they did not. Joshua understood that if he remained faithful to the Lord, God would go with Him, and assure His success.

We can trust in this same promise today! Instead of looking at the world crumbling around us and becoming discouraged, let'us remember that God is with us wherever we go. If we trust in His plans and follow Him faithfully He will guide us to success in these times times as well. "If God is with us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31)