This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. – (Joshua 1:9, NLT)

Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. – (Joshua 1:9, ERV)

 

When I am afraid or leery of something that I know I need to do, this verse always comes to mind. What has been absent as I have recalled these words, has been the first phrase – “This is My command“. Not only does God call me to be strong and courageous in Him; He commands it. He promises me to be present wherever I go, so it is my job to seek strength and courage from He who is with me. Today, these are once again going to be words that work as a sort of anthem as I go. I am extremely claustrophobic, and I have to have an MRI on my back to determine the extent of the damage. Already, the injury itself triggers fear and discouragement, and the thought of being stuck in a tube that clanks all around me is not a pleasant one. As I go, I have to be mindful that He is with me. If my eyes are fixed on Him, knowing that He is right there, holding me in the palm of His hand, I need not fear. More than that, He has commanded me to be strong and brave – not in my own strength, but in His. If He is for me, what can stand against me? Though this is an unpleasant obstacle, it is temporary. God is my healer, and He has given man wisdom to help heal bodies as well. There need not be fear on my part, for He has already gone before me to prepare the way, and He will walk beside me as I go. I have been carried thus far, and can trust that He will see me through until total health is restored. He is good, and I will trust in Him. May we remember that He commands us to be strong and brave in Him, because He is with us wherever we go.

 

For the Lord commands,

Have courage, don’t fear;

As He goes with us,

His promise is clear.

We must choose be brave,

Fight discouragement;

in the Lord’s presence,

Is where we’re content.

No matter what comes,

Nor where we must go;

The Lord is with us,

His presence made known.

Rise up warriors,

Be strong in the fight;

Fear not what we face,

For God is our light.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that not only can we find strength and courage in You, but You actually command us to do just that! Thank You that You promise to be with us wherever we go, so that we need not fear, no matter what we face. Forgive us for our fear and discouragement in the face of things that are so much greater than we can handle on our own. Teach us to trust in You, remembering that You are far greater than anything that we face or go through. Show us how to love others in such a way, that we may provide encouragement to the discouraged and courage to those in fear, just as You do for us. Let Your light be what is evident in us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we are strong and brave in You, fending off fear and discouragement because You are with us wherever we go. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

The joy of the Lord is your strength. – Nehemiah 8:10