Follow My Lead
Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had known all the works of the Lord which He had done for Israel. Joshua 24:31
Look at every phase of Joshua’s life, and you see a man who gave himself wholeheartedly to completing whatever task was assigned to him. From the first, he immediately obeyed the instruction of Moses (Exodus 17:9-10). Thereafter Joshua took on the role of Moses’ assistant. Joshua again displayed his obedience when he agreed to spy out the Promised Land. Upon his return from the reconnaissance mission, he and Caleb, alone among the spies, were ready to obey God and enter Canaan.
Forty years later when Moses handed the reins of power to his protégé, Joshua again obeyed the call (Joshua 1:5-11). In the end, the people of Israel followed Joshua’s example and did what God asked of them – and as a result inherited the land God had promised.
By the time of his death, Joshua was known simply as “the servant of the Lord” (Judges 2:7-8). That is high praise! While today we consider Joshua an exceptional leader, nowhere does Scripture describe him as a man of extraordinary might, intellect, or talent. Obedience made him extraordinary. And when you’re a servant of the Lord, that is all you really need.