Joshua 1

Have you ever had something that you knew you needed to do, but just didn’t do it? Maybe it was procrastination or maybe just resistance but you failed to do something you needed to do. For example, some people put off paying taxes or renewing their driver’s license until the last possible minute. It’s not always that what we are failing to do is a bad thing, but for some reason we just put it off. Sometimes we need people to speak into our lives and say “just do it.” In Joshua 1:1-2 it is as if God comes to Joshua and says, “Joshua it’s time.” Look how the book of Joshua begins…

Joshua 1:1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.

There is no way that Joshua did not know that Moses had died, so it isn’t as if God is telling Joshua some breaking news. What he is saying to Joshua is, “it’s time. It’s time for you to do the job I have for you.” We could go back to the end of Deuteronomy and see where Moses had laid his hands on Joshua. Therefore we have every reason to believe that Joshua knew he was taking over for Moses as the leader of the Israelites when Moses died. However, Joshua seems hesitant. Maybe he was still grieving. Maybe he had some doubts. The text doesn’t give a reason for Joshua’s hesitancy, so we are left to guess. What is key though is God says arise and go. It’s time. In our lives, we need to listen for the same thing from God. A prompting that says go. This prompting may come through a sermon you hear or a devotion you read. It could be through someone close to you who recognizes God’s call on your life. Or it could simply be the internal prompting of the Holy Spirit that says “Go.” But however that prompting comes, I encourage you to hear the voice of the Lord that is saying “arise and go” because if he has something for you to do, it’s important for you to listen and respond. Joshua did and God used him mightily. He wants to do the same with you.