"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)

This verse from the Book of Joshua is the theme verse for this year’s Vacation Bible School, SonForce Kids. It promises to be a fun week as we talk about being "special agents...on a mission for God" and spend time decoding Joshua 1:9. (I can’t wait to get my James Bond tuxedo and jet-pack!) As we are planning and preparing for VBS, I cannot help miss the relevance of the theme for all of us, no matter what our age. We all need this encouragement!

The situation for Joshua was one of significant transition. There was the transition from Moses’ leadership to that of Joshua. There was the transition from wandering in the wilderness to settling in the land of Canaan. There was also the transition from anticipating the fulfillment of God’s promise to having that fulfillment realized. For Joshua and the people of Israel, it was a time when they needed this very assurance and encouragement.

There are times when we deal with similar sorts of things, even if not on the scale they faced. We deal with leadership transitions at home, at work, in Sunday school classes, and in organizations of all kinds. We experience changes in our life emphases and lifestyles as we move through the ordinary phases of life in this culture. We see some of our desires and hopes fulfilled, even while we still wait for others to come to fruition. Having those transitions pile up all at once can be innervating, if not overwhelming.

God’s words of encouragement and assurance come to us as refreshing waters to a parched throat. Taking them to heart enables us not just to endure difficult times, but to prosper through them. We receive a ‘holy boldness’ based on who God is and the calling He has placed on our lives. We forge ahead, not in our own strength, but in the power of the Lord. We are courageous, not because we are bigger and stronger than the next guy, but because we are serving the Lord and we know He is with us.

All of this becomes especially clear as we approach the Day of Pentecost. In celebrating the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church, we are reminded that we live with God the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Only as we depend on the Lord in this way will we be given the strength and courage we need to live faithfully as His people. So, be strong in the Lord and be courageous in the Lord "whatever your transitions or trials or triumphs " knowing that the Lord is with you wherever you go.

Warmly in Christ,
Dan