Joshua 1:8
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 have good success.
It’s hard to imagine a person taking on a greater burden than Joshua was starting to carry at the beginning of Joshua 1. Moses had led the people for as long as the people could remember. Now Joshua was taking command, and it had to be terrifying. But God told Joshua not to be afraid but to be strong and courageous.
In the middle of God’s counsel to Joshua, we see verse 8. God called upon Joshua to daily, hourly, regularly meditate upon the word of God. Joshua, if he wanted to succeed as a leader, needed to keep the word of God ever before him. He needed to learn the commands of God so that he could obey those commands. He needed to keep the promises of God before him so that he could regularly be encouraged by them.
Do you make God’s word a treasure? God called Joshua to keep his word ever before him. Do you? Is it normal for you to let days go by without spending time in God’s holy word? Do you neglect it?
Christians, if you want to be strong and courageous, you need to regularly spend time, serious time, in God’s word. Study the Scriptures so that you will know what God is like. Study the Scriptures so that you will know what God commands you to do. Study the Scriptures so that you will know how to avoid sin. Study the Scriptures so that you can remember the promises of God’s blessing for his children. Study the Scriptures so that you can learn to love the Lord who saved you and see his soul-satisfying glory.
Pastor Travis Peterson 