"Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:7-8

We probably think of Joshua, Moses’ successor, as some kind of fearless warrior whose example we could never emulate. He is certainly one of the Bible’s great heroes. Born a slave in Egypt, he was one of only two adult men of his generation (the other being Caleb) to enter the Promised Land. Both had been among the 12 spies sent out 38 years earlier to reconnoiter the land. They alone urged an immediate invasion—and God honored them for it.

Joshua became Moses’ special assistant during the wilderness wanderings, then later led Israel to victory over its fierce Amalekite enemies. Here was someone eminently qualified to command Israel in their conquest of Canaan. We rightly admire his achievements! Yet, three times in Deuteronomy 31 (vv. 7, 8, 23) and three times in Joshua 1 (vv. 6, 7, 9), he was told to be strong, courageous, and unafraid. Does this not indicate that, deep down, he was not so brave after all? Perhaps! But, more importantly, it shows where he got the confidence to accomplish his great exploits—from his trust in the Lord who equipped and sent him! Born ‘Hoshea’ (means salvation) but called ‘Joshua’ by Moses (Num 13:16), how well he bore that name, which means ‘the Lord is salvation!’ Our faith may seem small, but if it is in a great God, that’s all that matters!

Closing Prayer

Lord, sometimes my heart is more like that of a mouse than a lion’s. Increase my courage to be bold for you! (edited from Encounter with God).