3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Jos 1:3-5, NIV)
Joshua had just gotten the worst news ever, His mentor, leader, father figure Moses was dead, and now it was time for him to take the helm. Can you even begin to imagine how he must have felt. Sorrow for his loss, pressure because of the weight he must have felt now, and confusion on what to do next. Then God, I love that, Then God .... spoke to him.
We measure success by $$$$ or prominence. But really what is success, and how do you gain it? If you gain all the education you ever wanted is that success? or maybe if you never had to want for $$$ is that success? maybe its that dream job you landed, is that success?
if that is success how do you get there?
what do I have to do?
what if i never have the Italian sports car, the big house, fat check book, awards on my wall, trophies on my shelf, does that mean I am not successful?
there is alot of confusion about success and what it means...
so here it is:
7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. (Jos 1:7, NIV)
you see all the other things i mentioned impress man, but doesn't even come close to impressing God, who by the way controls your eternal destiny.
success has to do with obedience, which has to do with following. God said if you follow me and don't get sidetracked, that is success.
soooo, this means that the grocery store clerk, waitress, flight attendant, lawyer, doctor, nurse, custodian, teacher, bus driver, police, firefighter, mayor, president, congressman, convenience store clerk, CEO of company, pastor, beautician, barber, military personnel, governor, auto mechanic, secretary, teacher's assistant, librarian, air traffic controller, computer programmer, telemarketer, banker, auto salesman, pediatrician, taxi driver, news anchor, journalist, engineer, sales associate, drive thru worker, professional athlete, college professor, coach, preschool teacher, physical therapist, special education teacher, construction worker, security guard, EMT, stay at home mom or dad, full time student, and whatever else you can think of; if they are following God, that is success.
have a grand and glorious day, Chris
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