Before God told Joshua to meditate on the Word day and night, observe to do all that is in it and to not allow His Word depart from him, Joshua was repeatedly encouraged to be strong and of good courage. To be confident, to be brave, to be willing to take a step of faith.
When you read Joshua 1:7-9, observe the number of times God repeats himself to Joshua about the same things. Be strong. Have courage. Don’t be shaken. Don’t doubt. Have I not told you to be strong!? Be strong. Meditate. Observe. Do. Be strong.
God cannot have made what is important any clearer.
I believe there is a blessing for each and every one of us in our new lives in Jesus Christ: new relationships, new memories, a new lease of life, new jobs, new achievements, new peace and new joy. And this is the case every year, every day, every week and every month. God’s steadfast love never ceases.
But to get the blessing requires strength and courage. You must fight every impulse that tries to get between you and God’s word. You must fight the urge to sin and turn your back on your salvation, fight the urge to reject Holy Spirit and His help, fight the urge to not observe and fight the urge that tells you to do nothing and continue with the same old. We must be strong and of good courage. Ask Holy Spirit to give you strength and His courage. You have the Spirit of power, love and a sound mind inside you: that’s God’s Spirit. Give him control.
We’re at the end of the Observe and Do series, at least until the Lord lays again something in our hearts to share. He is always speaking to all of us, His children, so who knows! Being able to really go into this idea and theme of observing and doing has been a real pleasure. I don’t know about you but I’m definitely changed. I meditate more, I remain receptive to Holy Spirit more and I find myself checking my salvation more because I know it is key to my connection to Holy Spirit which I never want to lose.
Be blessed.
That Christian Next Door 