After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.
- Joshua 1:1-2

Moses was dead.

Moses confronted Pharaoh, spoke for the Lord, and led the people on their exodus out of Egypt. Moses carried the Ten Commandments down from the mountain, broke the tablets in anger when he saw the people worshipping a golden calf, then climbed back up the mountain to intercede for the people. Moses was a friend of God. But Moses was dead.

Joshua didn’t just have big shoes to fill; he had the biggest. Joshua had been Moses’ personal secretary for years. He knew from up close how truly remarkable Moses was. And he knew that he was no Moses.

When the Lord spoke to Joshua in today’s passage, the Lord invited Joshua to do what Moses had been incapable of doing. Moses led the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years but had not been able to get them to cross the Jordan River and enter the land that had been promised to them.

How could Joshua hope to succeed at a challenge that had frustrated even Moses?

From our reading of the chapter that follows today’s passage, we believe that Joshua felt intimidated by the challenge, overwhelmed and overmatched. And we don’t blame him.

When have you ever felt intimidated by a challenge? When have you tried to follow in the footsteps of someone who had bigger feet than you? What things did you learn about yourself and about God from that situation?