"But there's none like good ole Joshua"

So, one of the very first Bible stories you learn as a kid in Sunday school is about how Joshua fought the battle of Jericho (and the walls came tumblin' down). Sounds like a pretty epic story, and it is. But what I find more amazing is Joshua's story before Jericho.

You'd think that to walk around a city over and over again and then decimate almost every living soul, and then go on to conquer a whole nation, this guy would have to be pretty brave. But when Josh was staring out as Israel's leader, he was told about 30 times to "Be bold and courageous." You'd think someone who was already bold and courageous wouldn't need to be told so many times. But the book of Joshua starts out as a conversation between God and Joshua, mostly with God encouraging Josh over and over again that He will be with him, and to be strong and VERY courageous.

The first time we meet Josh is actually in Exodus (if I'm wrong, please correct me). Moses has been on mount Sinai for forever and has brought down God's life instructions for His people. One of the biggest things God tells Moses is that He wants to be close to his people, and for them to be close to Him. So God has Moses build a tent of meeting, what we would call having church in a tent. And Moses goes in there to meet with God, literally talking to Him "face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend." Amazing verse, filled with tons of sermon potential.
But my favorite part is how that same verse finishes out: "Then Moses would return to the camp, but his assistant , a young man named JOSHUA son of Nun, WOULD NOT LEAVE THE INSIDE OF THE TENT." (Exodus 33:11)

I feel like Joshua most of the time. There is nothing I would rather do than put on some quiet worship music, open up my Bible and journal, and just sit with God. He doesn't have to say anything, and neither do I. It's just enough to sit next to Him. But Joshua was not allowed to stay in the tent. He had to eat, sleep, and even worse-take the lead in all of Israel's battles, and eventually become the main leader of the whole nation after Moses died. No wonder he was told so many times to be courageous!!!

I wonder if he was able to ever go back and visit with God like he used to; or as leader, did he have to get creative with his quiet times (hard to do surrounded by several million people all the time!)?

But I think the thing that gave Josh the most courage was God's promise that He would always be with him. A year and a half ago, I got a tattoo on my left arm. It says (in Welsh, because I'm Celtic at heart): "Courage, Dear Heart." It's a quote from "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader". Aslan, C.s. Lewis's characterization of Jesus, whispers this into His beloved Lucy's ear during a very frightening ordeal in which she feels all alone, abandoned by the strong men she has relied on thus far. All it took was her remembering Whose she was, and Who loved her more than anyone else in any world (Narnia or England), and she was encouraged. Emboldened might be a better term for it.

We feel the most courageous when we know beyond any doubt that we are loved. And if the Creator of all things is the One loving us, and we truly, truly understood this truth, the things we feared will suddenly seem so much easier to handle. You could even call us brave enough to conquer a whole nation, if the God who calls me "Dear One" said we could.