June 29th

Joshua 1     Isaiah 61     Psalms 120-122     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Joshua has now succeeded Moses in leading the Israelites and is about to take them into and conquer the Promised Land. Reading this chapter we get a tremendous sense that God is in control and God is giving Joshua such wonderful encouragement.  The encouragement comes in various forms

1) God’s promises for Israel v3 I will give you every place where you set your foot…v5 no-one will be able to stand up against you

2) Meditating on the word of God      to be told v6 be strong and courageous is one thing but knowledge and the consequent obedience to God’s word will enable Joshua to be strong and courageous

3) God’s promises for Joshua v9 the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go

The rest of the chapter keeps the theme of encouragement alive as Joshua encourages the officers of the people (v10-15) and they in turn encourage Joshua with their reply (v16-18).

The history of the Israelites is God’s story or His Story!  This God, who is in control of the destiny of the nation of Israel, is also the God who gets alongside the individual.  500 years later in Psalm 121 we read one of the songs of ascents (people united in song on their way up to possibly Jerusalem)  - v2 my help comes from the Lord, v5 the Lord watches over you.

So much could be said about Isaiah 61 but continuing the theme that our God is in control of history we read in v1 the Lord has anointed me…- words that are repeated by Jesus at the beginning of his earthly ministry. And finally we too can be encouraged that by meditating on God’s word our hope can be anchored in our God as Jesus was anointed to preach good news (v61) and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.

(member of a homegroup)