17 February | EVERYONE
"And the Lord said to Moses: ‘Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight.’” Numbers 27: 18,19
No one lasts forever. Since the entrance of sin, life is transient. All of us, sooner or later, will return to the dust from which we came. With Moses, it could not be any different. The time had come to hand over the baton to a younger man, and he did so without hesitation. Blessed are the men and women who know the time to make room for the youth!
God's command to Moses was unarguable: "Take Joshua..." God's spirit does not force anyone. It speaks silently to the heart, it teaches, it shows the way, and it instructs, but it does not compel. Joshua was a man filled with the Spirit of God. That is why he was chosen to lead his people into the land of Canaan.
This is Israel's new leader. Joshua comes down the lonely slope of men who spend time with God. It is almost noon. The sun is shining. The desert bushes are not stirred. The numb air remains motionless. But the wind of the Spirit blows strong because Moses brings Joshua before Eleazar the priest, and now the two stand in front of the congregation to introduce the new leader. May God lead you, Joshua, as He led Moses! He brought the people out of slavery, and you will bring them into the land of the free. In the end, God uses all those who allow themselves to be guided by Him and are willing to fulfill His purpose.
Today, more than ever, Spirit-filled men and women are needed to be attentive to God's instructions and be diaphanous as light, or transparent and battle-hardened. Aware that their value has no human origin and willing to allow themselves to be governed by the Spirit.
Take Action
One day you too may have to take a step back so that someone else can replace you in some responsibility (work, academic, church). Ask for wisdom today to know when to start and when to end your part in a mission and to know who to pass the baton to.