LISTEN ONLINEA school bus driver passed out at the wheel, and his large vehicle loaded with sixty students was careening out of control. Secondary school student Dillon Reeves burst from his seat, rushed to the front of the bus, and slowly stepped on the brake in the nick of time. While most students had been busy chatting, texting or playing games on their phones, Dillon had his head up, realised the danger and reacted. He knew to depress the brake slowly as he’d seen the driver do many times. Remaining alert helped him save the lives of all aboard, including the driver who later revived.
Joshua had to step up courageously after his leader, Moses, was no longer ‘in the driver’s seat’—leading the people of Israel. God said to him, “Moses my servant is dead. Now . . . get ready” (Joshua 1:2). What’s more, He instructed, “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to . . . not turn from [the Book of the Law] to the right or to the left” (v. 7). God was telling Joshua not to get distracted and to keep his focus, and to keep his eyes on the instructions He’d given—meditating on them “day and night” (v. 8).
We can be distracted by many things that cause us to take our eyes off God and the wisdom found in Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Instead, as we remain alert “by keeping our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2 NLT), we can spring into action when God calls.