Joshua 1:7 “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.”

 The Book of Joshua starts off by Joshua receiving his commission from God to succeed Moses, who had died. The first thing that stands out to me is in the first chapter.  God says no less than four times to ‘be strong and courageous’.

The implication is that being strong and courageous is a choice. This got me to meditate on the meaning of what God was saying and what really is strength and courage. Briefly put:

Courage is to choose faith and remain firm in your beliefs even in the face of fear and doubt.

Strength is to remain stout and stay your appointed path no matter the resistance and pressure against it.

I can’t help but think of the following quote by Elizabeth Cady Stanton: “The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls.”

Deuteronomy 11:26 See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse.

The Book of Deuteronomy covers a lot of the same stories that have already been told in other Books of the Bible.  However, it is in large part quotes of Moses as he reminds the people of all the things that God has done for them.  Also in great detail Moses goes over the rules to live by and the promises of God to His people.

Moses reminds the people that the promises of God can be both a curse and a blessing.  It’s kind of that way in everything. The thing that brings you your greatest joy can bring you your greatest sorrow.  The area that you are the most talented in can bring about the most good in your life and also the most bad.

The most determined can be the most stubborn and rebellious.  The most gifted speaker can be the best of preachers or the worst of con men. The strongest can be the greatest protector of the weak or the worst oppressor.

God lays down some rules.  If followed, they can bring great blessings.  If not… well not so much. If we choose to live by love and do what is right, ultimately we are a blessing and we will, in turn be blessed.