Numbers 27:18, 20  The LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. . . . Confer some of your authority on him so that the entire Israelite community will obey him.”

When Moses understood that he was most definitely not leading Israel into the Promised Land, he asked God to provide a leader who would prevent them from living “like sheep without a shepherd,” (Numbers 27:15-17). God answered his prayer with Joshua. 

Joshua was a known entity. He had been Moses’ assistant for many years. He was one of the two spies who said they could take the land when they first looked it over a generation before. He was the military leader who led the battle against the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8-16). 

Now in this season of transition, Joshua was elevated to leadership as Moses conferred his authority to him. “So the Israelites obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.”

Joshua was commissioned to lead with wisdom and authority. That wisdom and authority came from God and was exercised on behalf of God’s people. 

Rush Limbaugh passed away recently. One of his most well-known tag lines was “talent on loan from God.” Your talent and mine are gifts from God to be exercised in service to others. We stand accountable to God for how we employ what he entrusts to us. 

Will we live as God’s answer to someone’s prayer? Will we live up to the fulfillment of God’s dream for our lives?

Regardless of what has happened to this point, each of us can make a brand new start today. God’s mercies are new this morning and are ripe for the picking (Lamentations 3:22). Today is a good day to become what we might have been.