Sorry I didn't get this posted till this morning. I was going to do it earlier in the week and I got busy- then I forgot. Hope everyone still posts! My apologies Will!
As I thought on this scripture this week- I was kind of taken aback with the first line: "Have I not commanded thee?" Usually we talk about the Lord giving us agency. Isn't commanding someone to do something- more like Satan's plan? If you look back to previous verses in this same chapter- by the time the Lord speaks to Joshua in this verse it's the 3rd time he has told him to "be strong and of good courage." We all know that when ever the Lord repeats things in the scriptures- especially when he repeats them 3 times we had better take note and pay attention!
Maybe Joshua was asking Him questions, trying to figure out how this was all going to happen, why the Lord had chosen him to be the prophet...and that is why the Lord admonished him 3 times.
In my life, I find myself getting stressed out about how everything is all going to get done, how I can handle all my responsibilities, who will get things done if I don't do them myself...
I need to step back and remember that the Lord is there to help me. If I put forth my best effort, he will make up the difference. We already know how all this is going to turn out- Good wins! Satan loses! Does it really matter how we get to the final destination, as long as we get there in the end?
Having faith and pressing forward, knowing in whom we put our trust can take courage, but we can have courage with confidence- knowing he is there with us as we take each step.
Well I am going to record my thoughts on this scripture right now and as I have been thinking about this scripture it contains a lot of good things that we need to be strong and of good courage and the Savior Jesus Christ will help us out in everything that we do it life. I also think about like unto a ship that sails in the water that thyat have to be strong and make the ship go too. I also liken that to our life's that we need to set sail on the things of the Gospel every day too ! Those are my thoughts for this week !
Heavenly Father gives us commandments to keep us safe, and to help us get back to his presence. As we know we have the opportunity to use our free agency to follow the commandments or not. What we do not have a choice in is the consequences. We can choose the Lords way or our way. When we do not do things his way we stand alone. When we do things his way he is by our sides and helping us along. We are never alone when we do what is right. We never need to be ashamed when we stand up for the truth. We can be strong and be of good courage. We may not know what is ahead but we know we will not be alone. That was never more apparent to me as when we were told Dad had cancer in Taiwan. I knew we were in the right place and serving that mission was where we were suppose to be. I just had to pray and turn all things over to the Lord and go forward with faith. Now 7 years later we can see Heavenly Father had more for Dad to do. God knows where we are and what we need at all times. He will never leave us alone if we are living righteously. What a comfort to be able to take the sacrament each week and hear the promise that Christ's spirit will be with us.
This is a tough scripture to totally comprehend and apply to myself. Jen noted that it was given to a prophet. I am not a prophet so I am pretty certain I have done some things and gone places neither the Lord nor the Holy Ghost would go. But....."have I not commanded thee?" Yes, the Lord does give commands or commandments to all of us. If we obey and follow He is with us. This is where I find the comfort that applies to me. All His commands are not easy. Some are tough and in various situations they get even more difficult. This is where the promise applies...He will be with us. You know the Savior has never lost one battle with Satan. He never will. I think I like the odds of being on His team...even if I'm not a prophet.
I apologize for falling behind but this Primary President stuff is hard. I have wanted to shrink back a few times, and felt unsure of how to proceed. "Be not dismayed." Worry gives no place for the Lord. Courage I have found when I have remembered that it is not the lonely road, but a walk with God. To be better acquainted with him through our grief/struggles. Even the Savior was concerned about shrinking from His great infinite atonement. Shrink not and move forward.
As Jen referred to in her post the there is a lot going on at this time. Moses just had been taken up. Joshua is now called on to lead this growing nation without a home, who is struggling to learn how to be free. In addition, he is tasked with taking the promised land from several powerful, well established and entrenched groups of people. Overwhelming is a bit of an understatement, I think. As I reflected about that, Joshua is at a crossroads. I read in to the situation there are only 2 choices; either to look at all the negative or to look at the other side and see the positive. Our attitude/perception/our focus is a choice. We can look on trials with an "why me" attitude or as an "ok let's do this" type of attitude. It may sound plain but as we see from the scripture and our personal lives when we have a good attitude (looking for the positive) it makes all the difference. (Compare Nephi to Laman and Lemuel for example. They went through many of the same experiences, all saw an angel but the reactions to the events and experiences were are the antithesis.) It is no wonder that he commanded Joshua to do this and in turn us. "By small means are great things brought to pass" As I have looked at this verse I have challenged my self to try harder to "Have courage" and remember "the lord is with thee. "
Sorry I didn't get this posted till this morning. I was going to do it earlier in the week and I got busy- then I forgot. Hope everyone still posts! My apologies Will!
ReplyDeleteAs I thought on this scripture this week- I was kind of taken aback with the first line: "Have I not commanded thee?" Usually we talk about the Lord giving us agency. Isn't commanding someone to do something- more like Satan's plan? If you look back to previous verses in this same chapter- by the time the Lord speaks to Joshua in this verse it's the 3rd time he has told him to "be strong and of good courage." We all know that when ever the Lord repeats things in the scriptures- especially when he repeats them 3 times we had better take note and pay attention!
ReplyDeleteMaybe Joshua was asking Him questions, trying to figure out how this was all going to happen, why the Lord had chosen him to be the prophet...and that is why the Lord admonished him 3 times.
In my life, I find myself getting stressed out about how everything is all going to get done, how I can handle all my responsibilities, who will get things done if I don't do them myself...
I need to step back and remember that the Lord is there to help me. If I put forth my best effort, he will make up the difference. We already know how all this is going to turn out- Good wins! Satan loses! Does it really matter how we get to the final destination, as long as we get there in the end?
Having faith and pressing forward, knowing in whom we put our trust can take courage, but we can have courage with confidence- knowing he is there with us as we take each step.
Well I am going to record my thoughts on this scripture right now and as I have been thinking about this scripture it contains a lot of good things that we need to be strong and of good courage and the Savior Jesus Christ will help us out in everything that we do it life. I also think about like unto a ship that sails in the water that thyat have to be strong and make the ship go too. I also liken that to our life's that we need to set sail on the things of the Gospel every day too ! Those are my thoughts for this week !
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHeavenly Father gives us commandments to keep us safe, and to help us get back to his presence. As we know we have the opportunity to use our free agency to follow the commandments or not. What we do not have a choice in is the consequences. We can choose the Lords way or our way. When we do not do things his way we stand alone. When we do things his way he is by our sides and helping us along. We are never alone when we do what is right. We never need to be ashamed when we stand up for the truth. We can be strong and be of good courage. We may not know what is ahead but we know we will not be alone. That was never more apparent to me as when we were told Dad had cancer in Taiwan. I knew we were in the right place and serving that mission was where we were suppose to be. I just had to pray and turn all things over to the Lord and go forward with faith. Now 7 years later we can see Heavenly Father had more for Dad to do. God knows where we are and what we need at all times. He will never leave us alone if we are living righteously. What a comfort to be able to take the sacrament each week and hear the promise that Christ's spirit will be with us.
ReplyDeleteThis is a tough scripture to totally comprehend and apply to myself. Jen noted that it was given to a prophet. I am not a prophet so I am pretty certain I have done some things and gone places neither the Lord nor the Holy Ghost would go. But....."have I not commanded thee?" Yes, the Lord does give commands or commandments to all of us. If we obey and follow He is with us. This is where I find the comfort that applies to me. All His commands are not easy. Some are tough and in various situations they get even more difficult. This is where the promise applies...He will be with us. You know the Savior has never lost one battle with Satan. He never will. I think I like the odds of being on His team...even if I'm not a prophet.
ReplyDeleteI apologize for falling behind but this Primary President stuff is hard. I have wanted to shrink back a few times, and felt unsure of how to proceed. "Be not dismayed." Worry gives no place for the Lord. Courage I have found when I have remembered that it is not the lonely road, but a walk with God. To be better acquainted with him through our grief/struggles. Even the Savior was concerned about shrinking from His great infinite atonement. Shrink not and move forward.
ReplyDeleteAs Jen referred to in her post the there is a lot going on at this time. Moses just had been taken up. Joshua is now called on to lead this growing nation without a home, who is struggling to learn how to be free. In addition, he is tasked with taking the promised land from several powerful, well established and entrenched groups of people. Overwhelming is a bit of an understatement, I think. As I reflected about that, Joshua is at a crossroads. I read in to the situation there are only 2 choices; either to look at all the negative or to look at the other side and see the positive. Our attitude/perception/our focus is a choice. We can look on trials with an "why me" attitude or as an "ok let's do this" type of attitude. It may sound plain but as we see from the scripture and our personal lives when we have a good attitude (looking for the positive) it makes all the difference. (Compare Nephi to Laman and Lemuel for example. They went through many of the same experiences, all saw an angel but the reactions to the events and experiences were are the antithesis.) It is no wonder that he commanded Joshua to do this and in turn us. "By small means are great things brought to pass" As I have looked at this verse I have challenged my self to try harder to "Have courage" and remember "the lord is with thee. "
ReplyDelete