New Beginnings
New Beginnings
Ron Mitchell
People seem to have opposite reactions to new opportunities and new beginnings. For some it is exciting and energizing, while others respond with the “here we go again” attitude. Whether it’s a new job, a new position, a new relationship, or a new project, the mindset you bring to that opportunity will in large part contribute to your success.
One of my favorite seasons is fall. Now I love the change of weather and the beauty of fall foliage. But the real reason I love fall is college football is on full display, especially the University of Alabama. For the past several years Bama has won the National Championship on average every-other-year. Having read that, at this point some of you are tempted to read not another word. But hold on and keep reading. Regardless of the team that wins it all, one thing is certain. Those team members are typically able to say without hesitation, “as much as it depended on me, I laid it all on the line. I held nothing back.” That “all in” attitude is critical to outcomes in most aspects of life.
The book of Joshua records the history of Israel’s conquest of the land of Canaan, a history that displayed the power and grace of God and reminded the people of Israel of their need to depend solely on him. The chronological content of Joshua follows directly from Deuteronomy, where Joshua is given command over Israel (Deut. 31:3; Deut. 34:9).
The book of Joshua can be easily divided into two major sections. The first section (Joshua 1:1-11:23) contains the narrative of the conquest and is concluded with an assessment of Joshua’s accomplishments (Joshua 11:15-23). The account of the conquest reaches its climax at the end of Joshua 11, but the story of Joshua’s work and the fulfillment of God’s promise of a land for Israel is not yet complete. The second section (Joshua 12:1-24:33) relates the events and tribal assignments of Israel’s settlement in Canaan.
But Joshua is also about new beginnings. The backstory is Moses has died. The reign of one of Israel’s greatest leaders has come to an end. Let that sink in. Something great… someone great has come to an end. Ever noticed how people have a hard time dealing with “the end of things?” We want to hold on to what in familiar and comfortable. Not many people want to begin something new. Look at how it’s described in Joshua 1:
Joshua 1:1-2
Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' servant, saying, 2"Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.
The message is clear. The life of Moses has ended. Think about what the end meant for Joshua. It was the end:
· Of a close friendship. Mentor... servant
· Of wise and experienced counsel
· Established and comfortable boundaries
· Lesser responsibility
Think about what the end meant for the people. It was an end:
· The same voice and face
· That which was familiar
· Recognized national hero
For both Joshua and the people this was no inconsequential “end.” This was big. Therefore, a new beginning was no small thing. New beginnings are like that. They demand something from the us. Sometimes it’s something bigger than we can ever imagine.
New beginnings are both stimulating and frightening. The stimulation is the result of something untried, something not yet ventured. It is the adrenaline one experiences attempting something for the first time. Will it succeed? What will I encounter that will push me to the limit?
New beginnings and new opportunities don’t come with guaranteed outcomes. Maybe that’s why there is an element of fear to contend with. Fear’s focus is not on success of the mission but it’s failure. Fear’s focus is not on being pushed to the limit but on maintaining one’s comfort.
Simply put, new beginnings will activate something in each person. It may be faith or fear. With that in mind, I want to suggest three discoveries I’ve observed around new beginnings.
First:
1. New beginnings always require faith.
A. There is a double-edged truth here in verse 2.
1. God will not do for you what he commands you to do.
You cross this Jordan…. you and all the people.
2. God will provide a way for those who act in faith.
I am giving …. God is actively present and working His will for the blessing and good of His people.
Verse 3 “I have given it to you……just as I spoke.
GOD’S ACTIONS ARE CONSISTENT WITH HIS WORD AND HIS WORD IS CONSISTENT WITH HIS CHARACTER.
Let me also mention a word about prayer and its association with new beginnings.
E. Stanley Jones, at the age of 23, went to India in 1907. It took him 6 weeks to reach Bombay after leaving New York City. Talk about new beginnings. Jones understood the place of prayer in following God. He said, “The first thing in prayer is to get to God. If you get him, everything else follows… allow God to get at you, to invade you, to take possession of you. He then pours this very prayer through you. They are his prayers- God-inspired, and hence, God answered.”
Prayer is like the fastening of the cup to the wounded side of a pine tree to allow the rosin to pour into it. You are now nestling up into the side of God- the wounded side, if you will- and you allow his grace to fill your cup. You are taking the very life of God.
EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITIES CALL FOR EXTRAORDINARY PRAYER. EVEN A CURSORY LOOK AT SCRIPTURES GIVES COMPELLING TESTIMONY TO THIS TRUTH.
Secondly.
2. Following God will always require strength and courage
A. v. 5, 6, 7, 9. But where does this strength and courage come from? Is it only for those in high command about to embark on military engagement or is it available for the common foot-soldier?
Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.
Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.
Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 Chron. 15:7-8 "But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work." 8 Now when Asa heard these words and the prophecy which Azariah the son of Oded the prophet spoke, he took courage and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the Lord which was in front of the porch of the Lord.
Charles Colson, in Loving God, tells the story of Telemachus, a fourth century Christian. He lived in a remote village, tending his garden and spending much of his time in prayer. One day he thought he heard the voice of God telling him to go to Rome, so he obeyed, setting out on foot. Weary weeks later, he arrived in the city at the time of a great festival. The little monk followed the crowd surging down the streets into the Colosseum. He saw the gladiators stand before the emperor and say, "We who are about to die salute you." Then he realized these men were going to fight to the death for the entertainment of the crowd. He cried out, "In the name of Christ, stop!"
As the games began, he pushed his way through the crowd, climbed over the wall, and dropped to the floor of the arena. When the crowd saw this tiny figure rushing to the gladiators and saying, "In the name of Christ, stop!" they thought it was part of the show and began laughing.
When they realized it wasn't, the laughter turned to anger. As he was pleading with the gladiators to stop, one of them plunged a sword into his body. He fell to the sand. As he was dying, his last words were, "In the name of Christ, stop!"
Then a strange thing happened. The gladiators stood looking at the tiny figure lying there. A hush fell over the Colosseum. Way up in the upper rows, a man stood and made his way to the exit. Others began to follow. In dead silence, everyone left the Colosseum.
The year was s.c. 391, and that was the last battle to the death between gladiators in the Roman Colosseum. Never again in the great stadium did men kill each other for the entertainment of the crowd, all because of one tiny voice that could hardly be heard above the tumult. One voice one life‑that spoke the truth in God's name.
Some men and women are compelled by the suffering of humanity and will stop at nothing to be an agent of change.
A man by the name of Mallory led an expedition to try to conquer Mt. Everest in the 1920s. The first expedition failed, as did the second. Then, with a team of the best quality and ability, Mallory made a third assault. But despite careful planning and extensive safety precautions, disaster struck. An avalanche hit and Mallory and most of his party were killed. When the few who did survive returned to England, they held a glorious banquet saluting the great people of Mallory's final expedition. As the leader of the survivors stood to acknowledge the applause, he looked around the hall at the framed pictures of Mallory and his comrades who had died. Then he turned back to the crowds to face the huge picture of Mt. Everest which stood, looming like a silent, unconquerable giant behind the banquet table. With tears streaming down his face, he addressed the mountain on behalf of Mallory and his dead friends. " I speak to you, Mt. Everest, in the name of all brave men living and those yet unborn. Mt. Everest, you defeated us once; defeated us twice; you defeated us three times. But, Mt. Everest, we shall someday defeat you, because you can't get any bigger and we can.
Some men and women face challenge, square their shoulders, and lay it all on the line to conquer the challenge.
Thirdly.
3. Experiencing God’s blessings will always require obedience.
“Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7
Learn from the men and women found in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews in the New Testament. Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
What must not be overlooked is that the actions described in this passage were the result of obedience to God.
CONSIDER YOUR NEW OPPORTUNITIES:
Is God asking you to step into something new? Something that takes you out of the comfort of what is known and into the uncomfortable unknown? In almost every circumstance that means surrendering control. Hey, I don’t know about you, but I like control. But if I am going to step into new opportunities God will put before me, I will need to trust Him in the process and for the outcome.
