01-30-12 "Serving: God's Pathway to Influence" Joshua 1:1-9

The passage I read was Joshua 1:1-9

You can find that passage here:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1%3A1-9&version=NIV          

The verse that most stood out to me:

 ⁷ “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.

As I reflect:

As I reflected on this passage two things stood out to me about a servant.  I looked mostly at Joshua, but there are other examples of servitude to be learned from in Moses and in his relationship with the Lord as well.  Just looking at Joshua though, I see a man who served a leader for many years without a single thought of promotion to one day lead himself.  I think it’s not only important from a state of mind point of view to humbly serve without thought of self advancement, but it’s also valuable from a learning point of view.  The experiences one gains in being a servant simply to help another person is the very same experience required to be a great leader one day.  Joshua got to become a great leader because he spent a lifetime serving.  But he needed something other than just his experience to be a leader.  He needed God.

Joshua, like many of us, was not a strong and courageous man.  He was a man with fears. He was a man happy to serve a leader but not so ready to jump into the leader’s shoes and have the focus on him.  He had a good heart for leadership but lacked courage and strength as seen when in his youth he gave into peer pressure to build an idol to worship.  This was a character flaw that needed to be repaired before leadership could occur.  What kind of leader could fear the people he leads more than the God he follows?  This being unacceptable, Joshua received not once, but twice the word from God saying to be strong and courageous.  This is a word we all need to hear from time to time.  We as servants and as leaders and as followers of Christ whom the world sees, need to not be scared feeble weaklings cowering in corners from our enemies.  We are instead to be bold, strong, and courageous and stand up for all that is good and all that is holy.  We are warriors, Soldiers for Christ wearing full body armor in this spiritual battle.  We are to protect others and help the less fortunate.  How can we do that if we rely on a cowering personality flaw?  We can’t.  We have to instead, like Joshua, learn to rely on God so that we can be strong and courageous.   We have to put on our armor daily in prayer.

 I have heard it said that self confidence leads to a man’s destruction, but God-confidence leads to successful leadership.  Let us be confident in God’s ability to use us for the tasks He has called us for and let us serve as if the battle was already won.  Let’s put our focus on God and remember to meditate all day on His Word which guides us.  In this way, we can be bold and courageous trusting in God’s ability to use us.   Let us be faithful in the little things, knowing full well we may be training for the bigger things. 

My response to the Lord:

Jehovah-Chatsahi, Lord my Strength, I am in a place where you have offered me opportunities to serve in the small things.  Help me to be faithful and serve you well in these things.  Even if nothing bigger comes, may I pour all I am into the service you have allowed me to give.  Use what I have Lord; what you have given me, for your will.  Train me in the way I should go and help me to train my children and wife also that they may grow stronger in you.  Help me to rely on your might Jehovah Tsori, Lord my Strength, that I may not fail in my weakness.  May I be bold and courageous because of you Jehovah ez lami, Lord my Strength.  Thank you for bringing me this far and for how far you have yet to bring me.  My trust is in you for whatever this journey holds.  In the name of Jesus Christ I pray.  Amen.