Refreshing Daily in God's Word: Daily Devotion: Joshua

Sunday, June 11, 2023

Daily Devotion: Joshua – A Man of Courage

Bible Reading: Joshua 1

Key Verse: Verses 6,9, & 18 - “Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.” (vs 6) “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (vs 9) “ Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.” (vs 18)

Key Words: Be strong and of good courage

Three times in this chapter Joshua is told by the Lord to be strong and of good courage. As you study these three times, it becomes apparent that Joshua will need courage to carry out the commands of God.

In Joshua 1:6, Joshua is told to be strong and of good courage because he is going to have to divide the land among the people. If you have ever dealt with a family inheritance, you understand that, on occasion, courage is needed.

In Joshua 1:9, Joshua will need courage because he is going to have to always be obedient to the Word of God.

Then in Joshua 1:18, Joshua is told that he will have to, on occasion, carry out the death penalty which would necessitate great courage. There is little doubt that Joshua was courageous and carried out the commands of God.

Would you not agree it takes courage to stand for God?

While a young man, James Haldane commanded the man-of-war, the Melville Castle. In a fierce battle with an enemy ship, he ordered new men on deck to take the place of those who had been killed or wounded. The men, seeing the mangled, bloody bodies of their comrades, fell back in horror. Captain Haldane began to swear frightfully and wished them all in hell.

At the close of the fight a Christian soldier stepped up and said respectfully to the young captain, “Sir, if God had answered your prayer just now where should we have been?” This faithful word of rebuke went home to the conscience of Haldane. It led to his conversion. He abandoned his career in the Navy and became a preacher of the Gospel and labored for fifty-four years.

But this was not all: James led his brother Robert (who also became a preacher and an able commentator of the Bible) to Christ– nor was this all. Robert Haldane led Felix Neff, a philanthropic Swiss preacher, to the Lord. What if that Christian soldier had remained silent instead of rebuking Captain Haldane?

To stand for right and to do right takes courage but it produces a good fruit.