After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, “Moses My servant is dead; so now arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. Every place on which the sole of your foot steps, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.

Joshua 1:1-3 (NASB)

God promised Moses, Joshua, and the Israelites through his covenant with Abraham that they would possess the land (Genesis 15:7; Exodus 3:17). As the successor to Moses, Joshua stood firm on God’s promise to Moses, “Every place you put your feet, I will give you.” The promise was beyond the teachings of Moses and was made real as they entered the land to possess it. Every Israelite could look down where they stood and say, “This is my promised land.”

We face seemingly unsurmountable challenges in nursing. Yet, as Christian nurse leaders we can have the same confidence as Joshua. The Lord promised us spiritual blessings.  Keathley’s teaching on Joshua states:

“…from the moment of salvation, God has provided every believer with every spiritual blessing and provision. Of course, as this book (Joshua) makes perfectly clear, having a title deed to the land (or our blessings in Christ) does not mean our lives will be without testing, conflict, struggles, and pressures. It indeed will, but since the battle is the Lord’s, since God has done the most for us in Christ, with the testings and temptations comes God’s deliverance through faith and the application of the Word.” ⁽¹⁾

As we nurses go forward in confidence, we will need to be creative and steadfast in solving the nursing crisis. One way you can stand in confidence is to regularly prayer-walk through your workplace. For example, if you work in a hospital, walk down each hallway, patient room, office, eating area, conference room, and other areas to pray.

Here is a simple prayer:
“O, holy, sovereign God. This is Your hospital, and You are working here. You have blessed me by being called a nurse. I am an instrument of Yours equipped to bring your love, grace, and truth to my colleagues, my patients, and families. I give You thanks God, who in Christ always leads me in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of You everywhere. Amen.”

Hebrews 13:21; 2 Corinthians 2:14

The Israelites faced many challenges. Through Joshua’s innovative leadership skills guided by God, he led the Israelites to conquer the land and begin their new life. God says the same thing to us as he said to Joshua, “o one will be able to oppose you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not desert you nor abandon you.” (Joshua 1:5 NASB)

Whether you are a nurse leader in a hospital, clinic, home care, or in academics, like me, we need timeless guidance from great leaders like Joshua. A devout follower of God who served God in his work and in his home.