God loves you so much that he cares for all of you — your body, your mind and your soul. And it gets even better: He wants you to join him in caring for others!
There are lots of stories in the Bible about God choosing people to do his good works. Those he chose all started out as ordinary people. But when they trusted God and bravely followed what he called them to do, they became heroes!
Joshua is one of many heroes we learn about in the Bible. God chose him to lead the Israelites after their former leader, Moses, died. What made Joshua a hero? First, he loved and served God with all his heart. That gave him the confidence to be brave and strong — qualities all heroes need.
God gave Joshua a reminder before telling him to lead the Israelites to take the land he had promised them:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
You can be strong and brave just like Joshua was, starting by loving God with all your heart. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). But what does it mean to love God with all your heart?
When the Bible talks about the heart, it means the part of us where our emotions, beliefs and true intentions live. To love God with all your heart means to serve him from the deepest and most honest part of yourself. If you love God and trust his promise that he will always be with you, there is no reason to feel afraid. Instead, you can feel brave and strong. It’s sort of like wearing a superhero cape!
Imagine yourself putting on your cape each morning knowing you can face any challenge. How will you use your boldness to care for others? Will you tell your friends about Jesus’ love for them? Will you speak up for children in poverty? Will you tell a teacher when you see someone being bullied at school? You can do all these things and so much more because God is always with you!
Read
- Joshua 1.
- Philippians 4:13.
Act
- Memorize Joshua 1:9.
- Make a megaphone craft. With an adult, go to Make a Mighty Megaphone.
Pray
- Ask Jesus to make you bold and confident.
- Pray for ideas for how you can share God’s love with others.
