Strong and Courageous

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Today's reading titled Strong and Courageous was written by Cindy Hess Casper. Each night as young Caleb closed his eyes, he felt the darkness envelop him. The silence of his room was regularly suspended by the creaking of the wooden house in Costa Rica.

Then the bats in the attic became more active. His mother had put a nightlight in his room, but the young boy still feared the dark. One night, Caleb's dad posted a Bible verse on the footboard of his bed. It read, Be strong and courageous.

Do not be afraid, for the Lord your God will be with you. Caleb began to read those words each night, and he left that promise from God on his footboard until he went away to college. In Joshua 1 we read of the transition of leadership to Joshua after Moses died. The command to be strong and courageous was repeated several times to Joshua and the Israelites to emphasize its importance.

Surely, they felt trepidation as they faced an uncertain future. But God reassuringly said in verse 5, As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you.

It's natural to have fears, but it's detrimental to our physical and spiritual health to live in a state of constant fear. Just as God encouraged his servants of old, we too can be strong and courageous because of the One who promises to always be with us. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Joshua chapter 1 verses 1 through 9.

After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua, son of Nun, Moses' aid, Moses, my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them, to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.

Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon and from the great river, the Euphrates, all the Hittite country to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.

I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this book of the law always on your lips. 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.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid.

Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Let's pray. Faithful Father, we thank you that you are with us in our fears. Help us to trust your promises when doubts creep in. You told Joshua to be courageous, and you tell us the same today. We know that you will guide us through every situation, and we know we can trust in you. Give us the peace that passes all understanding. We thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. His encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.