THEN GOD COMMANDED IT

The LORD gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.” —Deuteronomy 31:23

At the end of Moses’ long recap of the history of the people of Israel—God’s rescue of them from slavery in the land of Egypt and their journeys through the wilderness, along with the laws of their new nation and the consequences of obedience and disobedience—God spoke. He spoke first to Moses, confirming what He had warned the people about, and then He spoke briefly to Joshua, commissioning him to lead the people.

Moses had urged Joshua to be strong and courageous, assuring him that God would go before him and be with him. But now God commanded it! But does it work to command someone to be courageous? The answer to this question depends on whether we understand courage as a feeling or a choice. Of course, it is good to feel courage when facing danger or taking on a daunting task. We can be trained—even train ourselves—to quiet our fears and step forward boldly. But often courage means not the absence of fear but doing what needs to be done despite our fears. As such, courage is better understood as a choice.

Whatever our feelings in response to our circumstances or responsibilities, we can choose to respond in a way that is not dictated or directed by our fear.

This can be challenging. Fear is real, which is why courage is presented so many times as a command when God speaks to His people in the Bible stories.

But our choice is also real, which is why courage is presented as a command. How much more so when the God who commands our courage is also the God who promises His presence.