0254. 251. Courage

251. Courage

Joshua 1

Courage is the grace of fearlessness. It is born of truth; it is dominated by righteousness, and its highest form is begotten by the fear of God.

1. Feet of Courage—Jos_1:2, Jos_1:11. “Go over this Jordan” is the Lord’s distinct and definite command. There were many things in the way of their going; the Jordan in its flow, Jericho with its walls, and the Canaanites in their opposition; but when the Lord says “Go,” it is not for us to reason, but to respond. The one thought that dominated the minds of our soldiers and thinking men in the Great War was that they were contending for the right against the arrogance of might, hence they had winged feet in their cause. When we know we are right, difficulties will not daunt us, but, like Paul, we shall press forward—Php_3:14; 2Ti_4:7, 2Ti_4:8.

2. Ground of Courage—Jos_1:6, Jos_1:9, Jos_1:18. The ground of courage is the Lord’s command and His promise. When the Lord commands us and we obey, courage will come to us; His presence will sustain us; His promises will cheer us; and what He pledges will attract us. Rusk in says of the Book of Joshua, “It is a book which tells us, straight from the lips of God, all we ought to do, and need to know; a book to be trusted as a Captain’s order, to be heard and obeyed at our peril.”

There are many commands which may be found in Joshua 1. The following nine are some of them: “Go over,” “Be strong,” “Be of a good courage,” “Observe to do,” “Not depart,” “Meditate,” “Be not afraid,” “Be not dismayed,” and “Remember.”

3. Action of Courage—Jos_1:7, Jos_1:8. “Observe to do” is the clarion note which is sounded right through the chapter. “The law” was what they were to “observe to do.” They were to observe “all,” not some of it. They were not to deviate from it either “to the right hand or to the left.” The law was not to depart out of their mouth, and it was to be always with them; hence they were to “meditate therein day and night;” and then the Lord promised them good success and prosperity.

4. Face of Courage—Jos_1:9. If we can with confidence look into the face of God, we shall be able to look into the faces of men, for the Lord bids us “not to be afraid” nor “dismayed.” One of the greatest things that was said of John Knox was, he never feared the face of man; and when he heard one of Queen Mary’s attendants say of him, “He is not afraid,” as the attendant referred to the anger of the Queen against Knox, he replied, “Why should the pleasing face of a gentlewoman afray me, when I have looked into the faces of many angry men, and yet have not been afraid?” When our heart is in the will of God, and we are following in the steps of Him who set His face like a flint—Isa_1:7, we can go steadfastly on, though, as with Him, a cross of Calvary lies in front of us—Luk_9:51.

5. Mind of Courage—Jos_1:8, Jos_1:13. The twofold injunction which relates to the mind is: “Meditate” and “Remember.” When the mind muses on the Word of the Lord with an intense regard, it will cause the fire of devotion to burn with an ardent flame, which will show itself in a ready response to what the Lord enjoins; and when we “remember” what the Lord has promised, it will cause us to enjoy what He has given. If the mind of memory is keen to do the Lord’s biddings, the music of the life will harmonise with it.

6. Strength of Courage. The Lord said, “I will be with thee” (Jos_1:5), and He followed it up by saying, “The Lord thy God is with thee, whithersoever thou goest” (Jos_1:9). The presence of the Lord is the secret of everything. It is the Giver of rest, as Moses found; it is the Soul of prosperity, as Joseph experienced; it is the Cause of victory, as David knew; it is the Sustainer in trial, as Paul enjoyed; and it is the Companionship in solitude, as John in Patmos discovered.

Someone once wanted to frighten Billy Bray as he journeyed home on a dark night along a country lane, by shouting to him out of the hedge, “Billie, the Devil is in the hedge,” to which he replied, “Bless the Lord, I did not think he was so far off as that,” and went on his way singing.

By: DR. F. E. MARSH