At the conclusion of every year, we share some of our favourite videos from the past 12 months, either because of some nice videography, or some content we thought was really exciting.  Enjoy – we’ll return with fresh content next week!

 

Hi, welcome to Redeem the Commute. I’m Ryan, your host for the Daily Challenges. Yesterday we read the story of the Israelites about to cross into the Promised Land, and God gave them a message through their leader Joshua. It was like a final motivational speech to enter and take the land theyd’ been given. Three times, God said they should be strong and courageous. How were they supposed to do that? Because of God. He said he would be the source of their strength and courage. He said he would be with them wherever they went. Now, as encouraging as this would have been, there is an important challenge for the Israelites as well. God challenges Joshua and his people to keep God’s law. They haven’t been successful at this yet – they broke God’s laws the moment they were given by worshipping a golden calf. That was the reason they’d had to wander so long in the desert. But now, God says they should be strong and courageous, and obedient to his law. They’re closely connected. He doesn’t just want them to obediently follow his directions to the Promised Land – he wants them to follow him with their whole lives. This is apparent when he asked them to meditate on the law day and night. He wanted his law to be their guidance, their moral compass, at every moment. God promised long ago that he’d get this nation to their promised land, despite their rebellion and sin. He forgave, and they knew that, but probably never felt it so much as this day. It was finally happening. So God let them know how to thank him for his grace – through their obedience to the law, living in his way instead of their own. What more could Joshua ask for? All he had to do was follow what God laid out for him, and God would be there to assure his success. However unsure or discouraged Joshua might have been at the death of Moses, this visit from God rejuvenated him. The first thing recorded after God’s message to him is Joshua’s ordering the leaders to get the people ready to cross the Jordan. The Israelites were ready to move into the Promised Land, and God was going to give them the land. God knew exactly what they needed. He’d rescued them, guided them, fed them, and been patient with them. And now he gave them one final pep talk, some encouragement to help them step into the next stage of his plan for their young nation. Question: Which of God’s words to Joshua stand out the most to you, and why?