Joshua 1:6
"Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them."
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God gave Joshua a mission of getting a multitude of Israelites across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. But Joshua knew just getting everyone across the river was only the beginning of what would be a long and impossible task without God's help. God exhorted Joshua three times reminding him that God had promised Joshua's forefathers that they would inherit the Promised Land.
Can you imagine what Joshua must have been feeling at the time? He was just about to take over for a "Legend". How could he ever fill "the great Moses'" shoes? Do you think he was afraid he would fail? As Nelson Mandela said "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." Just like Mr Mandela, I am very confident that deep down Joshua was scared to death.
As a teaching moment for Jake, he and I recently watched a classic old movie called "High Noon" starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. Jake loves westerns and I knew he would enjoy this one also. And even though this movie is now over 60 years old, the truths that it teaches on fear and courage are still relevant today. For those of you who have not seen this movie, it is the story of Marshall Kane and some outlaws who are coming back to seek revenge on Kane and reek havoc on the town that the Marshall has just cleaned up. The story conflict is that the Marshall has just gotten married, retired as a Marshall, and is headed out of town on his honeymoon. Should he stay and protect the town, or should he turn tail and flee with his new wife? I won't spoil the whole movie for you (you should see it yourselves - free on Amazon Prime), but the bottom line is that the town lets fear overcome them and none of them will be deputized and help the Marshall fight the outlaws. The movie clearly depicts the Marshall as scared to death (he even writes his own will out before the fight), but he overcomes and conquers that fear in order to do the right thing.
We will all encounter fear at many times throughout our lives. We need to face that fear and in spite of the fear still do the right thing. And we believers have the same secret weapon that Joshua had, but that Marshall Kane might not have had. We know that if we are following God's will and He is with us, that he will protect us and show us that there is really nothing to fear.
...and don't forget to love God with all your heart, love others as He does, and use every minute for His will and to His glory!
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High Noon Trailer (1952)
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