By: Rev. Arnel Tan
“This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NLT
Joshua’s turn to lead the people of God has come. Ready or not ready Joshua must face the issue. To some degree this was a shock and surprise for Joshua. For him Moses and himself as leaders would be a great team. I think he is much willing to remain an assistant forever, but this is not God’s plan. The order came and as an obedient soldier Joshua must respond to his Commander.
It takes faith to cross Jordan and conquer Cannaan. It takes a God centered faith to comply to a God sized task. The issue of faith comes with almost distinction from the world. God’s requirement of faith is not the same as the world views it. Even many honest followers of God view faith in a worldly point of view rather than God’s view. What then is a God centered faith? A God centered faith looks on God and not on success, looks on God as Sovereign and not on our expectations of what God will do.
This is the kind of faith that honors God and this is the kind of faith that God wants to develop in Joshua’s life as he leads the most stubborn people of all. This is the kind of faith God wants to develop in the lives of his leaders today. A God centered faith melts self centered fears. The inner substance of all our fears aside from the fear of God is self preservation. Image consciousness dominates us rather than obedience to God. A God centered faith gets its strength from the presence of God and its guidance from the word of God.
Living a God centered faith clings only to one promise that God will walk with us. It is only concern winning God glorifying victories by availing of a God supplied courage and grace. It also calms and later on cancels our insatiable desire for self recognition. Honor is for the Lord whom the Lord honors and how He will do it is all up to Him. It is by this kind of faith God wants us to cross our Jordans to conquer God given Canaan and enjoy a God honoring victory.
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