Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua1:8-9
Leadership requires courage. That's pretty obvious.
But God's call to Joshua puts things in perspective. It's not only courage that is needed: God repeatedly calls Joshua to be "strong and courageous" (v.6,7 & 9) and in the middle of it all He asks Joshua to be devoted to the Law of the Lord.
Strength and Guidelines (the Book of the Law) are the pre-requisites to courage.
If you don't have a clear set of values and principles then there is not anything to be courageous about. Courage is not only about facing enemies. The hardest task of leadership is leading oneself. God's Word provides the principles and values that one takes a stand for.
But the "Book of the Law" is more than Mao Tse Tsung's "Art of War." It's not only about principles and values. It's about relationship with a God who calls, rescues and forgives. (The Book of the Law (Torah) referred to the stories and commandments that we now find in the first five books of the Old Testament.) The Book of the Law tells the story of God at work with His people.
Strength is needed for courage to go the distance. Strength comes from focus, discipline and training. Most battles are not decided in the heat of the battle but in the hours of disciplined training that has gone before. On the rugby field it is fitness and not talent that will have the final say.
To face new challenges with courage is not enough. There needs to be strength that comes from discipline and preparation and there needs to be an immersion in the truths and values of God that are best discovered Scripture.
==> Lord as I face my challenges let my courage not be mere bravado or trust in myself, but the product of disciplined preparation that is grounded in Your Word.
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
