Last week we finished up Deborah and this week I would like to begin looking at Joshua for a few weeks with a possible interruption for an Easter Memo next week. We will then finish off our study of Joshua in April.
NUMBER TWO
Joshua is one of the few men in the Bible (Joseph, Daniel and David being others) who was a number two man who eventually became a number one man. He served Moses from his youth and then, when it was time for Moses to die, Joshua became the leader in Israel. It was Joshua who led the people into the Promised Land and it was Joshua who has a book in the Old Testament named after himself. That is a quite and honor and accomplishment for a man who knew how to serve and how to lead, something rare in number one men.
We know little about Joshua. He appears on the scene in Exodus 17 when Moses ordered him to go to war while he, Moses, stayed behind to pray. That tells us a lot about Joshua. This conversation did not occur when Moses gave the order to go to battle:
Joshua: You want me to go to battle?
Moses: Yes.
Joshua: What are you going to do?
Moses: I will pray.
Joshua: You mean I will risk my life in battle while you stay behind to pray?
Moses: That's right.
Joshua: That's not fair, so forget it. I'm not going unless you go.
Joshua went, understanding his role in his partnership with Moses, and what's more, he led the people to victory. Yet it was Moses' prayers that made the difference in the battle (see Exodus 17), and Joshua learned an important lesson about prayer and authority that played a major role in his development as a leader.
PERSONAL PURPOSE DEVELOPMENT
And that reveals an important step in finding and fulfilling your purpose: You must allow God to put you in some tough, demanding situations where you will learn, grow and develop trust - in God and in those whom He puts in your life to develop and train you.
You see, many have ideas and dreams and that's a good thing. You probably have them, too. Yet the proof of your mettle isn't in expressing those dreams. It is enduring and devoting yourself to the preparation process. The higher the building, the deeper the foundation must go. The same is true for you. Once you have the blueprints for your vision, you must allow God to lay and dig the foundation that will be able to handle the weight of His glory in your purpose.
Joshua was faithful to the preparation process and one day his time to lead came. He was ready and he did a fabulous job for the Lord. He wasn't a perfect man, as we shall see, but he was faithful. He learned faithfulness by serving God, Moses and the people, and God was pleased. Joshua's promotion did not come from Moses; it came from God. That is where yours will come from, too.
Do you sense that God has something purposeful for you to do? Are you ready for the testing and preparation process? I hope you are. I am at a point in my life where I can look back and see God's hand of preparation and it has been a good work. Now I am engaging so much of what I once dreamed of doing. I urge you to be faithful to God's preparation plan for you and not to give up because it is difficult. Hang in there and I know that you will come into your own, whatever that may be, in the fullness of time. Thank you and have a great week serving the Lord and your purposeful preparation for service.
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KENYA UPDATE: I am on my way home from two weeks in Kenya, and you can read a brief summary of my visit in today's blog entry.
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