56 of 365 - Be Strong & Courageous

​Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
 
The deliverance from slavery in Egypt wasn’t the end itself…it was the beginning; it was to GO and ENJOY a better place. David Guzik says, “In our Christian life, we are BROUGHT OUT of sin so that we may be BROUGHT IN to abundant life.” The bringing out isn’t the end of the story. The wandering and the wilderness is not our intended destination. There is a good place prepared for us, but we have to GO IN to enjoy it. God provided in the wilderness. He was there with His people. But there was so much more for them. How often do we settle for wilderness living instead of stepping into the more abundant life God has for us? The going takes effort. But it is so worth it.
 
God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous and to be careful to follow the law given to the people by Moses. He tells Joshua to not turn from it and to meditate on it day and night. It is the secret sauce.
 
Why meditate on it day and night? I mean, he has heard about it for 40 years. He knows the law. But God knows we easily stray from doing what is right. He knows there will be temptations…even in the promised land. He knows that cultural pressures and day to day distance from God will turn us away from Him even when we don’t intend to.
 
We need to keep the Word of God close. We can’t get complacent thinking we know it and have things all under control. We need to regularly read and meditate on it.
 
God promised Joshua He would be with him always and God will be with us also. He knows many of these hard times and uncertain things ahead can make us frightened or dismayed. But God says we can be strong and courageous to get through our days, our trials, our callings because He is with us.
 
Question: What are some things you can do to get in a habit of consistently and persistently meditating on God’s Word?