Blind Confidence

Today, I read the beginning of Joshua. Something really just stuck out in the story to me. After Moses, who lead the Israelites out of Egypt and had been their only leader, died...God has a conversation with Israel's new leader, Joshua. Now Joshua is taking on a huge role. He is not only leading millions of people to the Promise Land, but he is going to lead the Israelites into war with the people already living their. He not has to be leader spiritually, but he is the commander and chief. In the conversation, God tells Joshua things like, "I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I PROMISED Moses," and "be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I SWORE to their forefathers to give them. Did you notice anything about these statements? God SWORE and PROMISED the land to the Israelites. But right after this conversation with God, Joshua sends out spies to check out the area. Why would he even need to spy out the area? Did God tell him wherever you place your foot, I'll give you that land? But Joshua needed more than just God's word.

Isn't it interesting that God's Word and promises sometimes aren't enough for us to step out blindly? We feel like we need something more. In Joshua's case, he needed God's promise and spies. For us, we need God's promise and _________ (fill in the blank). We all do this is in some or another. For me as a church planter, I need God and financing...God and a missional core group...God and a sound system...God and a worship leader...the list goes on and on and on. All church planters at some point feel inadequate, unusable, and resourced-out. In order to replace or comfort these emotions, we need God and something else. But sometimes I just need to slow down and remember Jesus' words to His disciples, "...go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them...and teaching them...And surely I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS." Ummm, so as I go to reach, disciple, baptize, and teach the city of Austin Jesus is actually with me. Do I need really anything else? NO! God has given me the ultimate promise that he is with me and I don't allow that to be enough for me. Now just because he is with me doesn't always more the results turn out as I expect them to, but Heather and I are not going alone to Austin. We are bringing with us the King of Kings. That is where my confidence must lie, not in anything else.

I truly believe that stepping out blindly on God's promises is directly connected and intertwined to our confidence in Him. If we feel that God's Word and promises aren't enough, then do we even have the right view of God? Is He really God in our eyes, or just another supernatural but limited being? I know who I serve. The God that created the cosmos and is sovereign. That's why I can say that I have blind confidence.