God Speaks Personally: ‘I Will Be With Thee’

“As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” — Joshua 1:5

Joshua 1 is filled with great themes: strength, courage, conquest, obedience and prosperity. Yet another feature is easy to overlook—the personal language. Again and again, God says I, thee and thou.

God did not merely tell Joshua to carry on with the instructions given to Moses. He spoke personally to the man who now had to lead Israel. Moses was dead. Fortified cities, hostile armies and difficult decisions lay ahead. Joshua had every human reason to feel inadequate.

Into that uncertainty, God gave him a promise: “As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.” Joshua’s confidence would not rest in his experience, personality, army or strategy. It would rest in the presence and faithfulness of God.

That is where biblical courage begins. It is not confidence in ourselves. It is confidence that God is who He says He is and will do what He has promised.

Perhaps you are standing at the beginning of a responsibility that feels too large for you. You may be leading a family, caring for someone, beginning a ministry or facing a situation you did not choose. The question is not whether you feel sufficient. The question is whether you will trust the God who is.

God delighted to deal personally with Joshua, and He has not become distant. He remains “a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). His Word directs us, His promises steady us, and His presence gives us reason to take the next faithful step.

Consider

• Where are you tempted to depend upon your own ability rather than God’s faithfulness?
• Which promise from God’s Word do you need to remember today?
• What is the next act of obedience in front of you?

Prayer

Lord, thank You that You do not forsake Your people. When I feel inadequate, turn my attention away from myself and towards Your faithfulness. Give me courage to obey You in the responsibility You have placed before me. Amen.