Joshua 1:1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,
We are going back to the beginning of The Book of Joshua. I know our devotions will not be in progressive order but since we came to the end of chapter 11 I feel that we need to go back to Chapter 1 and work our way up to where we started in chapter 10.
The key phrase that jumped off the page at me today was "Moses' minister". Joshua doesn't just show up on the scene in Joshua 1 but he is mentioned 28 times prior to this chapter. Joshua had been with Moses for a long time. He went with him to the mountain to receive the law, he stayed with him in the temple, he carried out orders. Joshua was Moses minister. That word minister means servant. He was Moses servant. Where Moses went, Joshua went, what Moses commanded, Joshua did. Before he could fill Moses shoes he had to first follow in his footsteps.
Let's consider why God used Joshua. He could have chosen anyone of the camp of Israel but it was Joshua who God seen most fit to use.
I believe there are 3 things that qualified Joshua to lead.
1. Obedience
Joshua was a man of obedience, an obedience that started long before Joshua ch. 1. Him and Caleb spied out the land with the other ten spies and they were the only two that came back with a good report. His obedience to Moses was rooted in his obedience to God. He was following Moses because Moses was following God. Notice the wording in our verse: "Moses the servant of the LORD" now "Joshua son of Nun, Moses minister". Moses was the LORDs servant and Joshua was Moses' servant. If you'll find obedience to God you'll have obedience to the authorities placed in your life and you ever plan to lead obedience will be a necessary trait.
2. Obligation
Joshua was a man of Obligation. He felt a deep sense of obligation to his authorities and to his God. Men of obligation aren't men who are lazy and idle. Joshua was a man willing to serve, willing to wait, willing to fight. He waited on the commandment of Moses, when Moses needed a man to go fight in the valley with Amalek he didn't hesitate or make excuses, he went. When all of Israel wanted to go back to Egypt he said let's fight. While Israel was at the base of the mountain defiling their selves Joshua was on the mountain with Moses. Obligation to duty is the trait of a leader. We are obligated by the scripture to be faithful to study, to pray, to share and to be a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. As Christians we should fulfill all the obligations in our lives. We are obligated to live a life that points others to Christ, we are obligated to walk humbly, we are obligated to let our good works shine before men that they may glorify our father which is in heaven. Lets be people of obligation.
3. Ordination
Lastly Joshua was ordained for this position. Notice: Numbers 27:18 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; :19 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. :20 And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.
Looks and sounds a lot like an ordination service to me. Dear reader, God had this purpose for Joshua's life and He has a purpose for yours as well. Joshua, through obedience and obligation came to a place of ordination. You say I don't know what God wants me to do, I don't know that I'll ever be ordained to do anything for God. You'll find your ordination and your purpose and your calling the same way Joshua did, through obedience and obligation. When you don't know what to do, do what you know to do. Often times people are searching for the will of God like it's some lost treasure. Be obedient, fulfill your obligations and His will will find you. Think about this for a minute. Who wants you to serve God more? You or God? God wants you to serve Him more than you want to serve Him! Often times we aren't satisfied serving at the job he put us in or changing the light bulbs at church or at the small things He has given us to do. Faithfulness in the small things comes before faithfulness in the bigger things.
Do you want a life like Joshua's? A life of victory, a life of purpose, a life ordained for that purpose. You'll find your ordination through obedience and obligation.
Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Onward Christian Soldier!!
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