Picking A Replacement

This Rise & Shine sent from a prophet's chamber in Medina, NY. - Pic of Clarke and a Croc this month at an aquarium

Rise and Shine For Jesus! 

Picking A Replacement

 By Pam Iannello (my late mother)  

 

Deut. 31:1-8 (KJV)

    And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel. [2] And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the Lord hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan. [3] The Lord thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the Lord hath said. [4] And the Lord shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed. [5] And the Lord shall give them up before your face, that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you. [6] Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. [7] And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. [8] And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

 

PICKING A REPLACEMENT…

As we see in this scriptural account of the conclusion of Moses ministry, there comes a time when we can go no further as human beings. We cannot maintain control forever. Moses understood the fact that his work on earth was almost entirely accomplished; he also realized it was God’s will and timing that his role in the lives of the people of Israel had reached its final stages. Someone else would have to carry on… 

If you were to pick someone to replace you at home, at church, or possibly at work, whom would you choose? Why? How would the way you feel about the people you were leaving behind influence your selection should you have to forfeit your management of things?

Considering the young ladies you know, how many of them possess the ability to execute your duties and fulfill your role sufficiently, taking solemn oversight for the people to whom you are devoted as well as the cause of Christ? What have you done to increase their potential to succeed in areas where God expects women to excel? If need be, would your offspring even be capable of taking over your territory?

Ladies, are you training anyone to carry on with the qualities you believe God considers indispensable to the home?  To the church?  To the cause of Christ?  To society in general? Have you done your part to persuade other women to proceed fearlessly in the conquests that lie before them? Have you called attention to the faithfulness of God as Moses did with Joshua in verse 8 of today’s text? The loss of a good leader can be a cause for discouragement, but not a reason for despair with a good replacement coming in to fill that position. What emotions do you think an individual like Joshua might experience with their new role? What inhibitions do you think a young lady might experience as a newlywed, a mother-to-be, or as a model church member/example in ministry?

Many people are reluctant to take on positions they have never held before… How could you help to increase a young woman’s enthusiasm for her personal responsibilities and decrease any apprehensions she may have regarding her performance?  There are many reasons why it is a matter of importance to have a more experienced leader from whom you can learn… As far as the Word of God is concerned, what critical character traits should an experienced leader pass on to an unseasoned one? Do you see any of these attributes in your own life? Based on our text for today, what kind of instruction do you think Joshua received from Moses?

Hopefully you have given sober consideration to the various characteristics that God wants in any strong leader… What distinctive quality traits do you look for in someone to follow? What specific questions do you want/need to ask of an older Christian you respect? Are you seeking to learn how to improve as a wife, a mother, a friend, a church member, or as a godly example to lost/saved people in your sphere of influence? How have you advanced so far in these particular areas? Was the necessary effort put forth to legitimately excel?

Put yourself in Joshua’s place today… He’s the one that Moses announced to the children of Israel that God had chosen to carry on in his footsteps. If the Lord deemed it necessary, could you be considered as a replacement for an important position in your current condition?  What size shoes could you fill, if at all? Do you have any experience with the Lord to pass along to a new convert or group of people in need of leadership besides rebellion, indifference, or anxiety? Is your testimony one that urges people to place their faith in God and live a life of fervent obedience to Him? Based on your relationship with the Lord, could you cause others to inherit the things that God intended them to inherit?

There have been plenty of questions presented in this devotion for the purpose of deep reflection; hopefully they have challenged us to look beyond today and more soberly at tomorrow, for the sake of the next generation and the cause of Christ. Joshua, under the leadership and preparation of Moses, was trained to take up the command of such an army of people as the children of Israel. Persons who do not strive to ensure that the work of the Lord is done suitably have not looked long or hard enough at the nature of their influence neither endeavored to become an asset to the kingdom of God! What leadership quality can you work on as a servant/leader for Christ this week? Ladies, the time will come when God will have to select a replacement to carry on where you left off… Are you living with the same intensity you hope your replacement would?

God Bless,

Pam

Isaiah 60:1&2

Copyright 2005 Pamela A. Iannello

Revised 2007