From Fear to Success

Yesterday I wrote about the fear of God. No ... the terror. The right terror. So this one should be quite a contrast. In Deuteronomy 34, Moses dies. Dead. Gone. Deuteronomy ends with

And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom YHWH knew face to face, none like him for all the signs and the wonders that YHWH sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. (Deu 34:10-12)

Turn the page, and we read in Joshua 1

Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of YHWH, that YHWH spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' servant, saying, "Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. (Josh 1:1-2)

You're Joshua. What do you think? "Hey, hang on. I never wanted this. I'm not ready for it. I'm nowhere near what Moses was. And ... You're sending me into battle? Against all those people over there?" Joshua had to be terrified.

God has a message for the new leader of His people. He promises him complete victory, and then says,

"Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. (Jos 1:6-7)

"Be strong and courageous." Not once, but twice. Repetition is emphasis, and God wasn't asking Joshua to feel brave; it was a command. Why? On what basis could Joshua be "strong and courageous" in these circumstances? Because God was there. Because God had promised. Because Joshua was in the middle of God's plan. That is, the God who terrifies is also the God who fortifies.

In this text, there is another repeated concept. God uses the word "success" twice.

"Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have 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 success. (Josh 1:7-8)

"You may have success." What was the secret to the success? In the first case, it was a careful obedience to God's word. In the other it was a careful consideration ("meditate on it day and night") of God's word. This, God says, produces success. God's presence and God's promises and God's word ... these are the secrets to overcoming fear and producing success. How far are we as humans, as a nation, as Christians from these simple truths that produce God-given success? Trust God and follow His word. It's not that hard ... and yet ...