Be strong and courageous

Here I am having a marvelous time in beautiful Barbados. My wife's sister just turned 50 and she decided to invite her best friends and siblings to celebrate it with her and her family here. This is truly a special vacation for me. My wife and I had been here many years before when our middle daughter did an exchange program while she was attending McGill University, which happened to have a small campus here on the Barbados Island. And now she is working as an engineer, happily married to a fine man. Moreover, I have recently decided to retire at the end of June. Looking back in time I can see the Lord's hand providing all my family's need and God has been traveling by my side all these years - making sure that I have the spiritual nourishment I need to grow in my faith.

This morning's scripture is from Joshua 1-3 and Mark 16. The first words that jumped out of these passages are "Be strong and courageous". The context is that Israel was about to enter the promise land. The last time they were here, they did not trust God and wound up returning to the dessert for another 40 years, until an entire generation, who had witnessed God's deliverance from Egypt, perished (see my blog on the Book of Numbers concerning this account). This story serves as a warning to me the consequence of not placing my trust in God. Sometimes warning works to steer me away from making bad decisions, but most of the time it's the Lord's great love and encouragement that helps me the most. So today's passage is very precious.

This article from Jack Wellman is very helpful to understand courage. I quote a paragraph here:
Courage from Encouragement
"I love what I call the three E-migo’s…edify, exhort, and encourage (or give courage to).  We all need encouragement from time to time just as we all need courage.  What does the word encouragement mean and what does it have to do with courage?   When the word is used in the Old Testament, it is the word “chazaq” which means “to strengthen, prevail, be strong, courageous.”  In the New Testament the Greek word for encouragement is “paraklesis” ... which is extremely close to the word used for the Holy Spirit “Paraclete.”  ...  Para means to come along side.  Someone who encourages another comes alongside the person they want to encourage and gives them courage. ...“klesis” which can mean a calling near, a summons or call for help, exhortation, admonition, and consolation.  So in the New Testament, the word for encouragement can be said to be someone who comes along side another to be near, to respond to their call for help, to exhort them, admonish them and console them and yes, to give them courage.  That is what encouragement does…it gives others the courage to carry on."

In the Joshua passage, God encouraged Joshua three times (I guess he really needed to hear it three times before taking on such an onerous task!):
"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." (Joshua 1:5-9)

The reasons for Joshua's courage can be understood here:

• God promised to be with him as He had been with Moses. God will never leave him nor forsake him.
• God had sworn to his ancestors to give this land to them. God never broke His promises before and He won't break His promise now.
• He had given them a guidebook to be successful - his job was to "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."

God has given me the precious scripture to guide me. "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" (Psalm 56:3-4). "I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2, yes the entire Psalm!)

He has been faithful to all His promises before (you only have to read Mark 16 to see the fulfillment of a Savior - His death and resurrection) and I can be assured of His promises for the road ahead (His kingdom now and the one to come). My retirement does not mean that I stop working. It will give me more time to focus on doing what I do best because of what He has given me. I look forward to the new promise land - land flowing with milk and honey! It seems to have begun, right here in Barbados!