738 Be Strong And Very Courageous, A Guided Christian Meditation on Joshua 1:7-9 with the Recenter With Christ app

The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in  and connect wi h the true source of peace, Jesus Christ. 

Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.

Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving jor anything tensing or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:   Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate.

Scripture for Meditation

Joshua 1

NIV 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

NASB 7 Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the Law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may achieve success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will achieve success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Meditation on Scripture:

I find this scripture to be very interesting it is an idea sandwich or you could call it a small chiasm emphasizing the part in the middle. God’s word is that we should be courageous then he talks about obeying the law, and then he turns back to being courageous. In some ways it may be surprising that in between the commands for courage is adherence to the law. I think many times if we are not careful when we seek to reject the feelings of shame that we feel for past sins we can rush right past the justice of the things God asks us into. Why does God invite us to do certain things? WHy do God’s commandments exist? I certainly don't claim to speak for God but it seems a very large demotion if we think of the law only as the thing we will fail at that Jessus can then forgive us for when we receive His grace. That makes it seem like the law is meaningless. 

Although we don't live under the Law of Moses it is valuable to ponder God’s law in general. It is my belief that God invites us into good. He creates laws and rules not to punish but to purify. He gives us commands such as chastity, honesty, faithfulness with the knowledge that as we observe them, we will be transformed and blessed. When we fail to do what God asks us to do we miss out on the blessings associated with the rule. For example if we lie then we come to not be trusted even by ourselves. 

So courage is not only to avoid anxiety for things that don't matter but to appropriately to learn to not fear anything that cant touch our soul. Jesus said we should not fear anything that can only kill our bodies. God could kill us and also has control over our very soul and he has offered grace and love to us. If we truly learn to prioritize the things God loves, then we need not fear anything else. If you ever feel fear of emotions, sickness, pain, death, or anything else consider this, what is that compared to the Love of God which has chosen to deliver us from the natural consequences of our failure. So rise up in the strength of the Lord, recommitting to God that you will be courageous in pursuing a life with Him and let every other fear fall away. 

Meditation of Prayer:

Pray as directed by the Spirit.

Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him.

Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm:

I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials.

Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life:

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Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind? 

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