“Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.” (Joshua 1:6)
This is the first time we see the phrase, “Be strong and of good courage.” It is mentioned three more times in the rest of Joshua 1. When God says something once, it’s important. When He mentions it more than once, let alone four times, I think He is trying to tell us something.
This phrase has been in my mind a lot lately, and I think God is trying to tell me something. So I started to study it a little bit and I looked at the phrase from the viewpoint of a Christian, a husband and a father.
Joshua, was the leader of Israel at this time. He had been chosen by God to lead His people into the Promised Land. God knew what lay ahead and He knew the trials and battles Joshua would face. He knew Joshua was going to have to “be strong and of good courage.”
The path ahead of Joshua was uncertain, they were in a time of transition and there was an immense responsibility upon Joshua’s shoulders. That calling to lead that Joshua had, is the same calling every Christian man has. In whatever area of life we are in, we are called to lead. You don’t have to be the boss to be a leader, you don’t have to be in charge to be a leader. God wants each one of His men to lead. To be a leader in every area of life, at work, at home, at church, wherever you go, be a good leader. Be a strong leader, a courageous leader.
In this season of my life, I realize I haven’t been a good leader. I haven’t led the way I should have in multiple areas of my life. But God has still called me to lead. It is time to be strong. It is time to be courageous. It is time to stand for right, to do what God has called me to do. I have an immense responsibility to follow the Lord in a way so that those around me will follow Him. My family, my coworkers, I need to lead them in the paths of righteousness.
Over the next few days, we will look at each one of these statements and see how it affects different aspects of our life as we as men be the leaders that God needs us to be.
Counted Faithful 