Courage at the Crossing
September 5, 2026
““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.””Joshua 1:9 NIV
Finding courage to move forward because God’s presence crosses with us.
God Who Goes With Me,
Some steps carry more weight than others.
They bring me to the edge of what I know and ask me to enter a place where experience can no longer reassure me.
Joshua stood at such a crossing.
Moses was gone.The wilderness was behind him.The Jordan was ahead.And people were depending on him to move.
You did not tell him that courage would make the crossing easy.
You told him to be אָמַץ (amats).
Courageous.Resolute.Steady enough to continue.
I sometimes imagine courage as the absence of fear. Then, when fear appears, I assume I am not ready.
But courage is not proof that fear has disappeared. It is the decision that fear will not determine my obedience.
Strengthen me at the places where I hesitate.
When the responsibility feels larger than my ability, remind me that You never asked me to carry it without You.
When I feel the loss of those who once guided me, help me trust the wisdom You have formed within me.
When others are waiting for me to lead, keep me from pretending to possess certainty I do not have.
Let my confidence rest in Your presence, not my performance.
You did not promise Joshua a life without resistance. You promised to be with him wherever he went.
Give me courage rooted in that same promise.
I do not cross because I know everything waiting on the other side.
I cross because You are already there.
Amen.
To be courageous, resolute, determined, or strong in spirit.
In Joshua 1:9, אָמַץ (amats) describes more than a passing feeling of bravery. It is the inner resolve to remain faithful when responsibility, uncertainty, and fear meet at the same moment. Joshua’s courage did not come from knowing everything ahead. It came from God’s promised presence. Biblical courage is not self-confidence alone. It is obedience strengthened by the conviction that God goes with us.