Renewing Our Strength #5

In Deuteronomy 31, Moses is about to pass off the scene, and leadership is being transferred to Joshua. Joshua is not a young man at this point.  He had been serving under Moses for over 40 years, through the whole time of the wilderness wanderings.  He knew the complaining, inconsistency and rebellious nature of his people all to well.  Now he was being entrusted by God to get them settled in the promised land. Listen to the charge he is given. 
7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. 8 It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

The very thought of this challenge seems overwhelming - to get them to work together long enough and hard enough to get them all settled into the land.  It saps your strength just thinking about it. Yet God had the nerve to say to Joshua through Moses: "Be strong." How could God command that? Because the Lord went before him and with him. The people might abandon him, but God would not.  Joshua did not need a large army of strong, fit, brave soldiers.  All he needed was the presence and power of God, and of that he could be assured.  So can we, if we will only trust and obey Him. Whatever it is you are facing today that you know is above your strength level, bring it to Him and ask for His strength through His presence.