Deuteronomy 31:7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, (As Moses transfers his leadership to Joshua, Moses gives him a public message of encouragement. When we take on leadership positions, we take on a mantle of service that others see and are influenced by. Now Joshua as God's new leader of His people would need to manifest qualities that would inspire and motivate them. A leader is merely anyone who has influence over at least one other person, which makes all of us leaders, and that means, like Joshua who is given a public forum, we also need to make sure that what we say and do in front of others is aligned with the Lord's purposes in our leadership.) "Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance."
(The Lord's message through His servant Moses to still another servant is two-fold, one regarding Joshua's attitudes and the other regarding his actions. Joshua is more than invited -- he is commanded -- to keep his eyes fixed on the Lord so that his thoughts and feelings are aligned with the courage and strength that only come from the Lord.
What lies before him is impossible through his efforts alone,
so Joshua has to depend on the Lord to fulfill the purposes
He has set before him and this people.
Only through the strength and courage that we draw from the Lord today
can we ever hope to go into the land before us, into the life before us,
and to conquer it, divide it up, and receive it as our inheritance in the Lord.)
