An Imperative I Can't Ignore

“I command you—be strong and courageous!  Do not be afraid or discouraged.  For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  (Joshua 1:9 NLT)

While staring at the blank intimidating screen, my heart sank with discouragement.  “This is too hard, Lord,” I thought as I typed and deleted countless words.  One little comment from a critique to make my words more lively had crushed my spirit, and I didn’t want to continue any more.  You would have thought I was facing a whole army of terrifying Orcs by the way I fretted.  The longer I sat and stared at my computer, the more fearful I became.  It’s ridiculous I know, but then again fear and discouragement don’t always make sense.  For days I waited for the Lord to say, “It’s okay, Amy, you don’t have to do this anymore if you don’t want to.”  Instead, He said, “Be strong and courageous.”

Discouragement is debilitating.  Once my mind starts feeding on negative thoughts, I’m wasted.  Nothing profitable comes forth when despair takes over. Maybe that’s why the Lord gave this command.  He didn’t say to Joshua to try not to be afraid or discouraged.  He said, “Don’t be!”  Imperatives hold a lot of weight.  God knew the giants that would be encountered along the way.  It was a life or death matter.  There was no room for fear and despair.  However, the command wasn’t the last word spoken.  The Lord went on to promise Joshua he would not be alone.  We cannot muster strength and courage on our own.  It is only by God’s grace and presence we can face the giants before us.

More of You, less of me is my prayer today.  May the Lord find me faithful to trust Him and obey no matter what lies before me.

Whatever Orcs you are facing, be strong and courageous dear friends, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

More of You, Less of me

Lyrics by: Amy 2001

Jesus, help me to live each day surrendered only to You

I can’t walk the way I want to

My body is weak and my mind is full

My feet stumble and my words they come out cruel

Jesus, help me to live each day surrendered only to You

(chorus)

More of You, less of me is what I pray

Help me abandon every wicked way

Take me Lord, break me Lord; I’m Yours today

More of You, less of me

More of You, less of me I pray

Jesus, help me to live each day surrendered only to You

I can’t think straight and I am confused

Doubt and fear, well they tend to get me down

The dark surrounds me and I feel like I might drown

Jesus, help me to each day surrendered only to You

(ending)

I can’t carry this burden, and I know You don’t want me to

You say, “Come unto Me; I will take care of you”

So here I am Lord, falling on my knees

Ready to surrender, wanting to be free

Here I am Lord, falling on my knees

Ready to surrender, wanting to be free

Silent!

"But the Lord said to Moses, 'Because you did not trust Me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!"  (Numbers 20:12  NLT)

Ever wish you could do a day over?  If Moses could have done anything over in his life, I wonder if it would have been this day.  The great hero of our faith had seen the burning bush and stood on holy ground.  He had witnessed the ten unprecedented plagues and walked on dry soil through the Red Sea.  The glory of God radiated before him when God's laws were entrusted into his hands.  There are few in Scripture we esteem more than Moses himself.  Yet on this day, those awesome acts of power didn't make a difference when he struck the rock instead of speaking to it.  Disobedience stemming from distrust changed everything.

There are days I wish I could hit the rewind button.  One moment in particular stands out.  As I drove my car to band practice one night, God spoke to me in a vision, which transformed my life, but with that vision came the command to be silent.  I disobeyed.  Circumstances and feelings dictated my behavior instead of God's instructions.  I speculated far too much and shared things with people that only brought confusion and division.  As a result, the ramifications were devastating.  Friendships ended, and the ministry my husband and I were leading changed.  My heart was broken.  If only I had trusted and obeyed, things would have been different.  I knew God forgave me, but it took a long time to forgive myself.

It's been years since those difficult days, and God's grace has enabled my heart to taste and see His goodness.   As I sat in my chair this morning and reflected on Moses's disobedience, I remembered the time I too distrusted.  The dark valley that followed was great, yet God's grace was greater and His love permitted me to climb heights I didn't even know existed.  If Moses could do it all over again, I don't think he would.  For it's in weakness we become strong.  Moses had seen God's power shake the mountains, but it was His love and grace that transformed his life, equipping Him to be God's vessel.

When all seems lost and you long for a do-over, look to Jesus and abide in His love.  He makes all things new!

Abba, Your grace amazes me.  Thank you for forgiving me.  I don't like the fact that I disobeyed You.  It grieves my heart to think about it, but I'm learning that where sin abounds, Your grace abounds even more.  Help me to abide in You, Lord, and empower me to trust and obey.