I’m a scaredy cat on so many levels. It’s frustrating because deep in my gut I know it’s not who I want to be. I don’t want to be a chicken but I swear I’m hard-wired for feathers and a beak. Flash back to my confirmation.

I was sixteen and confirmation in my home church was a big deal. You had to take classes for two years. Memorize a ton of scripture and pass tests from our catechism book. In addition, we had to pick one verse from a packet of scripture to be our “life verse”.

I took that task seriously. When I ran across Joshua 1:9 I thought, “Bingo!”

“Be strong and of good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed for the the Lord thy God is with thee.” KJV

The verse was perfect. I’ve used it many times over the course of my life. It was the bolster I needed for fears that ranged from worry over college exams to the knot in my stomach when Doc and I signed our first mortgage.

And then about ten years ago I noticed something in the scripture. There was this funny little precursor to the beginning of the verse that I had never picked up on.

“Have I not commanded you?”

Wow.

God takes my fears seriously.

I read and re-read the verse. All I could think was this,

“Fear is not an option…God says so.”

I know that God understands that we have fears. The bible makes many references to fear and how to deal with it but in the context of this story Joshua was about ready to embark on a major journey.

I don’t know about you but practically everyone I know is on a “major journey”.

Seriously…HARD stuff.

• The son that struggles with alcoholism.
• The unfaithful husband.
• The chronically ill wife.
• The loss of a family farm to the local bank.

Talk about hard journeys.

Any one of these journeys could make me quiver. And yet I know folks dealing with multiple hardships. Is it any wonder we quake now and again?

Yet there it is.

Have I not commanded you?

Isn’t God bossy?

Truth is——–

God is truth.

Like any good parent He’s simply reminding Joshua of who Joshua really is.

“When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. ” Genesis 5:1 

(I’m reminded God doesn’t sport a beak and feathers.)

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

(Power…love…self-discipline. Each one an anti-thesis of fear.)

But sometimes we need reminding don’t we?

Sometimes we need a bossy parent to get in our face, speak truth and get us on the right track.

And sometimes the parent is wise enough to cut-off the childs anticipated argument. So they add…

Because I said so.

I can’t help but wonder if God didn’t do that very thing for Joshua with His——–

Have I not commanded you?

DoAheads, I’m grateful for many things…. one of them is forerunners like Joshua. He’s a saint I can’t wait to share a sammy with someday.

We’ll sit on the park bench and I’ll tell him how much I appreciated his willingness to take orders from God. The fear implied in God’s admonishment tells me Joshua probably trembled at the thought of taking over after Moses was gone.

But Joshua listened to His bossy God.

He moved forward. Perhaps He did it afraid but He. Did. It.

He listened.

He trusted.

He obeyed.

Each step was a precursor to courage.

And each step was an opportunity for Him to be with God.

Thanks Joshua.

Thank you God.

You show me how to quiet my often quivering soul.

“Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take.” Joshua 1:9 MSG (Emphasis mine.)

{I’m grateful to link up with Suzie Eller and the #livefree community today as we ponder being afraid and the brave things He may be calling us to do!}

Your (Loving Her Bossy God) DoAhead Friend,

Cindy