Be Bold! Be Strong!

So this is it. The event I announced with sadness a month ago in Time to pass the baton on…. is upon us.  Here’s a paraphrase of Deuteronomy 31:1-8.

Moses went out and spoke these words to all the people: “I am now an old man. I am 120 years old. I am no longer able to lead you. You know that God will not let me cross over the Jordan into the land He promised with you and you know why. But don’t worry. God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will be there waiting for you. He will prepare the way for you, and will prepare the land for you.

Joshua will now lead you. He will cross over ahead of you, just as God has said.

God will do just as He has done before. He will defeat your enemies if you do exactly what He tells you to.

So be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or terrified because the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you or abandon you.”

Then Moses called Joshua to him and spoke to him in the presence of all the people: “Be strong and courageous, because it’s your turn to lead these people. You must go with them into the land that God promised to them, and you must divide it up among them. God himself will go before you and will be with you; he will never leave you or abandon you. So don’t be afraid and don’t be discouraged.”

Or in the words of the little song that packs a big punch –

Be bold, be strong, for the Lord your God is with you.

Be bold, be strong, for the Lord your God is with you.

I am not afraid, I am not dismayed,

For I’m walking in faith and victory,

Yes I’m walking in faith and victory,

For the Lord your God is with you.

A familiar song we often sing with words straight from Deuteronomy! You probably didn’t know that.

Fantastic words, aren’t they? Wonderful words of encouragement for a group of people who have relied on the same leader for a long, long time. He grew up an Egyptian prince and was exiled for murder. He returned to Egypt as God’s messenger to be a voice for the people. He led the people out of slavery into the wilderness. They relied on him to mediate between them and God. They grumbled to him when they were hungry and thirsty. They listened to him when he brought them God’s teaching. They watched him perform incredible miracles. He was their saviour, their judge, their leader.

How were they going to go on without Moses? How would they survive without him? Who could ever take over from him? How could Joshua ever match up to all that Moses had been and done?

Change is hard. Walking into the unknown is hard. Letting a loved leader go is hard. Learning to rely on and trust a new leader is hard.

That is why they needed to hear these words. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed. BECAUSE THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU.

These are wonderful words of encouragement for Joshua too. He’s seen all that the people of Israel have been through. He’s witnessed the suffering and the very real fear and the anger of God. He’s watched Moses at work.

How is he ever going to match up? How is he ever going to lead these people? Moses was a legend. Joshua can’t imagine ever being a legend. How will he handle the responsibility of leading all these people?

Taking on a new role is hard. Everyone is watching. Everyone is waiting. Everyone is whispering. The expectations are huge, the task daunting, the territory unfamiliar.

That is why Joshua needed to hear these words. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed. BECAUSE THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU.

And finally Moses. While he was passing these wonderful words of encouragement on, he needed to hear them for himself.

He’s been through so much with these people. They were finally on the verge of entering into all that God had promised. And they were going to have to do it without them. He would not bring this job to completion. Someone else was going to see it through.

How can he trust Joshua to do a good job? What if it all goes pear-shaped? How can he trust these people he’s come to love and serve into the hands of someone else? What will the future hold for them now?

That is why Moses needed to hear these words. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed. BECAUSE THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU.

I’m sure I don’t need to spell out the implications for us. Maybe you are facing a change of leadership in your workplace or church. Maybe you are being asked to step up and take over a new role. Maybe it is time for you to hand over a role you have been playing to someone else. Maybe you are entering into new territory. Maybe you are afraid of what the future holds. Maybe you are facing the unknown.

That is why we all need to hear these words. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed. BECAUSE THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU.