Numbers 27:18 “So the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;’”

WHO SHALL LEAD?

Moses had just been told to go on the mountain and look at the land of Canaan across the Jordan for he would not set foot in it.  Then Moses would die.  Moses’ first thought was, “Lord, who shall take my place to lead these people?”  He wasn’t bemoaning the fact that he was going to die or that he would not enter the Promised Land.  His first thought was for the people he had been leading for 40 years.

But the Lord had already chosen his replacement.  There was no hesitation on the part of the Lord.  He immediately told Moses to take Joshua, the man who been beside Moses these 40 years, the man who had led the armies of Israel, the man who had stood guard at the tent to meeting, the man who had been one of the spies 40 years earlier, and anoint him in front of all the people.

TEACHING MOMENT

How do you get an application from this passage for your life and the lives of your children?  For me, it is saying that God has a plan for your life long before you are ever aware of it.  He had been preparing Joshua for 40 years to lead.  Joshua had not been told that he was next in line to lead.  He just led as Moses instructed him.  He had been faithful to what God had entrusted him, and for that, God had found him worthy to lead.

Your children need to learn to trust God in the way He leads them.  The purpose He has for them may not be revealed right away.  He may wait 40 years to reveal it to them, like He did for Joshua.  He may choose to use them in a way they never even thought of, like Joshua.

How about you, Mom and Dad?  Are you fulfilling God’s calling in your life?  Are you still waiting for God to reveal it to you?  Perhaps He is still preparing you for something.  Perhaps He has told you but you don’t like what He said.  Joshua struggled with this, I am sure.  But He allowed the Lord to work through him.  Will you?