“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
It’s difficult being a pastor’s kid. Just ask my kids. Not because they come under scrutiny nor criticized for not being flawless, but because they live with a preacher (i.e. a lecturer). Poor kids! The other day, I told them to do their chores and like average kids, they take their sweet, old time. That can only mean one thing- family devotion! I sat them down and asked them if they liked being told what to do. I was met with a roll of the eyes as if that was to be a rhetorical question and how silly on my part to ask such a question.
From there, I began to explain to them the inherent nature of a relationship that lies underneath of being told what to do. Joshua 1:9 is a perfect example. Joshua is now the leader of the nation of Israel. Moses has passed the baton to him and Joshua is petrified of the task that lies ahead of him. So how does God overcome his fears? How does God offer sweet solace? He tells him what do. And why? Because God loves Joshua.
For there to be commands, there must be a hierarchy, a system where one gives orders and another receives them. But not only must a hierarchal system exist, but there must also be a relationship much like a boss/employee, teacher/student, a parent/child, God/God’s people. Without a relationship, there is no respect, no desire to fulfill the commands.
One day as I was driving home, I exited the freeway and onto the off ramp. As I approached the signal light, I noticed the driver of the car ahead of me toss out his cigarette. When the light turned green, I drove up next to him at the next signal light and I noticed that he was but a teenager, no older than eighteen. I asked him to be careful since we recently underwent tense moments from recent wildfires. He just looked at me and offered a gesture with a finger. And why would I not be surprised… I had no relationship with him. I wasn’t his father or brother nor his youth pastor. I was nothing to him so my request, my wishes fell to deaf ears.
“Have I not commanded you?” Joshua could face all this responsibilities, face all the enemies of Canaan, face all the headaches of being a leader because he knows God loves him. And why? Because God tells him what to do.
So the next time you receive a command, greet it with a smile because a command is a coded message simply saying, “I love you.”
May God bless you.
Pastor Sung