When all is gone

Life is not constant, it keeps on changing. Some times it’s anticipated while other times it is not. I look at my life and see how much everything has been changing. Just today, I received some news that a friend was leaving to a distant place where I would not be seeing this friend as often as I do. It kinda hurts big. A few months ago I had to leave my friends and a part of my family plus a life that I had been used to for 7 years, to a place that I had not been or known of before. That hurt too. It hurts everyday when someone we care about or something we value is lost or goes out of reach.  Sometimes it can cause us fear especially if that person or thing held an important part in our lives. 

Writing this, I am reminded of the story of Joshua during the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land. Joshua had been Moses’ assistant for sometime before his death. He was to lead the Israelites to Canaan; The Promised Land. We learn about Joshua when he and Caleb together with other men had been sent to spy the land that the Israelites were going into. After that we hear of Joshua being an assistant to Moses. The bible in Deuteronomy 1:38 tell us that God had told Moses that Joshua would be the one to lead the Israelites to Canaan. God had further asked Moses to encourage Joshua and I believe Moses had been preparing Joshua well enough for this task.

When Moses died, as recorded in Deuteronomy 34, I believe that it must have been so overwhelming for Israelites but most to Joshua. The bible says that they mourned Moses for 30 days. Although Joshua knew that he was to take up the leadership role after Moses and that the Spirit of wisdom got into him after Moses died, it was so difficult for him. The Lord had to again come to him and remind him to be strong and courageous.  This is when he was able to get up and gather all other leaders and then he gave them the instructions on what was to happen next (Joshua 1).

The departure of Moses was a great loss for Joshua. Moses had been a great leader (Deuteronomy 34:10-12). He had led the people in wisdom, following the instructions given directly to him by God. How was Joshua going to lead? Would God really speak to him like He had spoken to Moses? I believe such must had been the kind of questions that were going on in Joshua’s mind. Moses was everything to him and ‘all’ was now gone. How was he going to manage it? However, I am grateful to God because when ‘all’ seems to be gone; He becomes sufficient for and to us. The bible says that when Moses died, God filled Joshua with the spirit of Wisdom (Deut 34:9). It further state in Joshua 1:16-18 that the Israelites fully pledged their loyalty to Joshua and were ready to be led by him. 

I believe that this was the doing of the Lord. We are going to lose what seems to be our ‘all’ when God needs it gone. However, God will be there for us and will guide us through it all. I can testify that my moving to a place I didn’t know was for my good. God has been sufficient, I have grown and many nice things have happened to me. If God take away your all, He will be your all and He will make it well for you.

God bless you and keep growing in Him.