When God gives you exactly what you need

Every now and then, God seems to know exactly where you are in life, and give you exactly what you need. I heard this sentiment in the testimony of a family who lost everything in the recent tornadoes expressing that God is miraculously met their every physical need just in time. You witness this in Scripture in the lives of the Heroes of the faith. And Galatians 4:4 tells us that God sent His Son at just the right time. I always find that interesting. It's almost as if God waits until we are at our wits end until He intervenes and saves the day. He seems to have a sense for the dramatic like that. He can be victorious by a blowout if He so desires, but it sure is more exciting to win it on a last second buzzer beater half-court shot!!

Well, just when I seem ready to give up, or take a break, or slow down, or complain about my own self-centered needs, God reminds me that it's not about me. He did that again today. My daily Scripture study was:
1 After Moses the Lord’s servant died, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant:2 “Moses my servant is dead. Get ready! Cross the Jordan River! Lead these people into the land which I am ready to hand over to them.3 I am handing over to you every place you set foot, as I promised Moses.4 Your territory will extend from the wilderness in the south to Lebanon in the north. It will extend all the way to the great River Euphrates in the east (including all of Syria) and all the way to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.5 No one will be able to resist you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not abandon you or leave you alone.6 Be strong and brave! You must lead these people in the conquest of this land that I solemnly promised their ancestors I would hand over to them.7 Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do.8 This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful.9 I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”

Now realize that every time you approach the Word of God which is living and active, it will speak to you directly where you are at in that moment. So 99% of the time, apply the above differently than I do today. But today, I need some encouragement. Do you think God doesn't know this?

In this Scripture, I'm reminded of a few things. First, God doesn't need me. Moses was incredible...perhaps the greatest leader the world has ever known. And when his time is up, God just calmly moves on to the next guy. "Moses is dead. Josh, it's time to step it up!" My pride wants me to be important...like Moses was. But God didn't need Moses...He's fine using Joshua or whoever else He chooses...and He doesn't need me. I typically need encouragement because I fail to live up to my own personal pursuit of greatness. This shouldn't be so. God will use us as He sees fit, and we shall all be satisfied with that.

And that leads my to the second thing, God wants to use us. He chooses us. He has designated for us to lead and motivate and to simply make a difference for His Kingdom! So I cannot take today off, for the task is far to great to take a break. So be strong (fight for what's right), be courageous (don't be intimidated by political pastors or pimply teenagers), carefully obey the law (do what's right), and ultimately God will make you successful. And to be successful according to God's standard is to be great.


But what I'm most reminded of and most encouraged by from this specific passage actually has very little to do with the passage itself necessarily. It stems back to my early years entering into the ministry as a Young Life Leader. I was new, young, and clueless, and about to step into the primary leadership role at Beechwood High School. Add to the pressure that I was replacing on of the greatest leaders I've ever encountered in Dave Metz. And one day, I find sitting in my car a laminated paper with Joshua 1:1-9 reworded in this way (it's amazing how being at Fort Mitchell Baptist Church has caused this to remain perfectly applicable in my life):

  
Thanks Marjie Long. After all these years, you are still making a positive impact on my life. This is hanging on my clipboard behind me at all time!!


BJ