Joshua 1-2: Terrified

Moses was a little nervous when a burning bush showed up and told him and return to Egypt. Okay, maybe he was terrified.

What will I do?
Who am I to go talk to Pharaoh?
What if no one listens to me?
I won't know what to say.
I'm slow of speech.

God didn't reassure him.
He didn't tell Moses, "You can do it, Moses. You have the best education in Egypt."
He didn't say, "You totally have what it takes."

Instead, he said, "I am God. Watch what I can do."
And he turned the staff into a snake. And back into a staff.

Over the years, Moses learned to depends on God and God's power instead of his own, and the people learned to depend on Moses.

But now Moses is dead, and the task of leading the people belongs to Joshua.
The Bible doesn't say that Joshua is scared, but three times in four verses, God tells Joshua: "Be strong and courageous."

And twice he tells him, "I was with Moses, and I will be with you."

It is God who will bring the people into the land, not Joshua. Joshua's job is to move forward, to follow God, to obey him in everything. To be strong, to be courageous.

I haven't been asked to conquer a new country, but sometimes God asks me to do things that are just beyond my ability.

The promise is this: If asks me to move, he will go with me, and my role is to step forward.

I don't need to think about my weakness; I need to think about God's strength.
I need to obey.
And I need to be strong and courageous.