Today's reading is Joshua 1
There's a brilliant Powerpack song based on verse 9.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
I've been teaching Trekkers for coming up to three years now, but I still consider myself new to the role, and if I'm honest, I still get nervous before a Sunday morning session. I'll usually get up early on the Sunday morning and pace about, making sure I know what I want to cover, and I'll get down the church early to set up and just try to clear my head. I'm fine once I'm teaching, but the run up to a session is quite stressful, I'm outside of my comfort zone.
The Israelites could have been in a state of crisis. The leader that they had followed for forty years in the desert had died. The Bible even tells us that Joshua wasn't as good a Moses, not a great start to his career! Deuteronomy 34 tells us:
Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses.
Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt— to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no-one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
Joshua knew that he was no Moses, in the same way that when I started teaching I knew that I could not step in to Jone's shoes. I couldn't gain that rapport with the kids over night.
But Joshua knew that he wasn't called to be as great a Moses, Joshua knew that they had a great God, and so long as they followed their God, they would take possession of the land that God had promise to them.
So even when I am nervous about teaching on a Sunday, I need to remember that I don't need to be superman, because the Lord my God is with me wherever I go!
Tim
