Joshua 1:6a "Be strong and courageous," (The Lord is charging Joshua with a forceful directive. Joshua had earlier heard these same words when Moses had given Joshua instructions as He passed the leadership of God's people to his assistant. Now, the Lord Himself gives this encouragement to Joshua as the young man prepares to step into his new position as newly-appointed leader of God's people. God's words are meant to do more than cheer Joshua on or to inspire him. They are not just a nice suggestion or just a good idea. They are a plain and concise command of the Lord to be strong, to persevere, to prevail over, and to bind fast whatever he put his hand to. They are a clear and succinct command of the Lord to be courageous, to be alert and steadfast, to be bold and to harden himself. The Lord gives us this same charge today. As we step into new territory, new responsibilities, new callings from the Lord, He admonishes us to be strong and courageous as we face the unknown before us.)
