JOSHUA 1:9 BEING STRONG AND COURAGEOUS

PART TWO

So there's Joshua standing on the banks of the River Jordan probably riddled with fear about what he's got to do. He's got to take over Moses's job as leader of the Children of Israel. He's had an insider's view of what that job entails and he's probably scared to death. And for his first big task on the job, he's got to take the entire lot of Israel across the river Jordan to inhabit the Promised Land.

Regardless of his fears, Joshua receives beautiful council from the Lord to “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

I like that even though Joshua was pretty close to the Lord and had been mentored by Moses for years, he STILL needed to have the Lord tell him repeatedly to “be strong and of a good courage.”

I think we need to hear it repeatedly too. We need to remember that the Lord has promised to “go before our face” that He will be “on our right hand and on our left and that his angels will be round about [us] to bear [us] up.”

We can rely on his Spirit to help us remember these things when we feel fearful and weak.

When I was an advertising student in Pasadena, CA, we had a combined project with a photography class. We were assigned to art direct a photo essay showing two disparate groups. Our group chose something like square-dancers and surfers. Another group in the class decided to photograph East-LA gangsters and Mormons. Everyone laughed at the contrast. I smiled too and thought it would be a visually compelling project. But then the photo department chairman started saying disparaging things about members of the church. He gave examples of photos they should take showing Mormons in a derogatory manner. I wanted to run and hide.

I prayed for help; I knew I needed to speak up. All the students in my department knew I was Mormon. My teacher knew I was Mormon. She looked embarrassed by the photo chairman’s comments. She looked at me and I prayed some more. And this great idea came into my mind. I raised my hand and said, “yes, I really like this idea of shooting the combination of Mormons and gangsters. I am Mormon and I would love to talk with you more about my church.” (The photo chairman blanched.) I said, “It will be a great project. In fact, if you’d like to get fantastic photos, there is a visitor’s center behind that large Mormon temple on Santa Monica Boulevard. You can get shots of that temple from the visitor’s center side without getting run over by cars. There are people there who will spend all day with you. They will answer your questions, they will let you photograph them, they might even feed you lunch.”

After the class I was bombarded by the group. They wanted the address of the visitor’s center. They were so fired up. They all knew someone who knew gangsters they could photograph, but they had been worried about finding Mormons. The end result was a gorgeous photo essay. Little old temple workers in their white suits standing in front of the Los Angeles Temple looking confidently at the viewer. A family that had been sealed together posed. The photos were stunning. None of them were in the derogatory light the photo chairman had suggested. It was wonderful. During the final critique my teacher asked me to comment on the project. The photo chairman wouldn’t look at me (in fact, years later, he will still avoid eye contact.) I thanked the group for going to the source to represent The Church. They had gone to east LA for the gangster part and participated in a BBQ with some cousin’s cousin’s gang. The gang photos were authentic and gorgeous. Same with the Mormons. I thanked them for showing an authentic portrait of Mormons, rather than a caricature. It was a great opportunity.

It wasn’t nearly as big a deal as leading an entire nation into a new land, but, I felt strengthened to know what to say. I had wanted to run and hide, just like Joshua might have wanted to run and hide. But the Lord needs each of us to act where we are. He needs each of us to go forward in our mission, whatever that may be.

Joshua’s mission was to cross the river Jordan and to obtain the promised land. It would not be easy. But the Lord would be with him “whithersoever” he went.

What is your mission? What does the Lord want you and I to do? On which river bank do we stand, wringing our hands in fear and dismay?

continues in PART THREE

JOSHUA 1:9 BEING STRONG AND COURAGEOUS IN THREE PARTS

PART ONE

I was asked recently to speak on Courage. More specifically, I was asked to speak on the 2010 Young Women Young Men Mutual Theme:

“Be strong and of a good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed; for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9)

It is ironic that I would be asked to speak on courage given my speaking history. When I was 14, I attended a youth conference. The following Sunday, my bishop called me out of the audience to comment on my youth conference experience. I went up to the stand and stood at the pulpit and looked out at the ward. I kept standing there, not saying a word, for long enough that my friend got up out of her chair, walked up to the stand and gave a glowing report of youth conference. After she spoke, she looked at me and said, “do you have anything to add?” I shook my head no and went back to my seat.

So courage and speaking have not always gone hand-in-hand for me.

Although, because of my fears and history, speaking on courage was a perfect opportunity for me. In fact, being in a situation that required me to lean on the Lord as Joshua did, was another opportunity for the Lord to show He was “with [me] withersoever [I went].”

I love this scripture! I love to think about Joshua. Moses was the leader and Joshua was the helper for 40 years all the way from escaping Egypt to the Jordan River. I love to be the helper; I find it way more fun to help all you can rather than to lead, to hear complaints and to be responsible.

So at this point in Joshua's story, Moses has died and the Lord spoke to Joshua and told him to “go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give them.” This was the promised land that they had been awaiting for 40 years. This was everything Moses had worked for and that Joshua had helped him work toward.

Can you imagine the intimidation and fear Joshua must have had at this time as he stood there looking out over the river Jordan? Joshua was the new leader. His mentor was gone. And the Lord wanted him to start his new job by taking on this monstrous task.

There were so many unknowns. Joshua didn't know for sure what awaited him and the Children of Israel in the promised land. Would there be a war? Would his people die? Would his people revolt against him? Would he die? And if the children of Israel were anything like my family, maybe just getting them gathered together and ready to march was daunting enough.

The Lord's words to Joshua are beautiful, comforting and one of the best locker-room pep talks one could have:

“There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage...”

He promised Joshua that if he meditated on the word of the Lord and observed to do all therein, that Joshua's way would be propserous and that he would have success. Then the Lord reiterated:

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

I think I could do just about anything after a pep-rally like that. We too have been promised that the Lord will be with us, if we keep His commandments and if we exercise faith in Him.

continues in PART TWO