Wherever and Whatever
by Bernard Kariuki
God has a tendency of going ahead of us, preparing the way and assuring us that things will be alright. God told Joshua, “I will be with you wherever you go.” But what does “wherever” really mean? Was it truly anywhere Joshua decided to go? Was he riding on a free ticket?
We know that God was leading the children of Israel from captivity to the Promised Land, and after Moses’ death, Joshua was appointed to lead them there. So, “wherever” wasn't a blank check for Joshua to choose his own path. God had a very specific destination in mind, the Promised Land. Joshua was stepping into leadership, not just to guide the people anywhere, but to lead them in alignment with God’s purpose. It was wherever God was taking him, wherever His purpose would lead.
If Joshua had chosen his own path and led the people away from God’s plan, it’s unlikely that God’s presence would have gone with him. The promise of God’s presence is tied to our obedience to |Him.
We can see the same principle even in the New Testament when in John 15:7, Jesus says, “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
Again, what is whatever? Whatever is tied to a condition of remaining in Him and His word remaining in us. The more we dwell in Him and His Word dwells in us, the more our desires begin to reflect His. Our motives align with His heart, and we begin to pray within His will.
Joshua was instructed to meditate on God’s law, day and night. Why? because understanding “wherever” requires discernment. Staying rooted in God’s Word helps us know the direction He’s calling us to and helps us to stay on course.
The fact that the Lord promised to be with him “wherever” didn’t make the journey any easier. The road included rivers to cross, battles to fight, losses to grieve. But through it all, Joshua knew the Lord was with him. God’s presence doesn’t guarantee that the sun will always shine or that there won’t be hardships. But it does mean that no matter what we face, we won’t face it alone.
Joshua could lead with courage because God was with him. When we stay within His will, we can be confident that wherever we go, He’s already there.
Bernard Kariuki is from Kenya, and married to Yulia from Russia. They met in Ellel Ministries and served together for many years at both Ellel Scotland and Ellel Grange. Bernard has the desire to share the Word of God with young people, for he desires to see young people walking in holy fear of the Lord.
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship. Provided full acknowledgement is made to Seeds of the Kingdom as the source, you are also welcome to use it in a non-commercial way and reproduce it in magazines or other Christian websites. The copyright for any commercial use of the material remains with Ellel Ministries International.
