Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Growing up in Dallas in the late sixties and early seventies, after we came home from school we could turn on the television and watch reruns of “The Lone Ranger.” I remember watching the Masked Man and his horse Silver, along with his faithful companion Tonto riding that little pinto named Scout. They would go everywhere together. And one of the things Tonto always called The Lone Ranger was “Kemosabe.” We are told that word meant “faithful friend.” And that is what those two were to each other. Faithful friends. No matter what kind of scrape they got into, or if they got separated, they would go find the other and do whatever was necessary to help each other out. They looked out for each other. Tonto and the Lone Ranger were they for each other. A faithful friend is something good to have.

When God was about to lead his people into the Promised Land, Josua was taking over for Moses. He was given the daunting task of leading that massive throng of people into the land promised to their ancestors. You can imagine that was not going to be easy. Their history had shown they were not always cooperative in following their leaders. But as Joshua took the leadership role, God gave Him the assurance that He would always be with him. God would be his faithful friend, his “Kemosabe.” That is the kind of assurance we all need to hear, and it is one Joshua especially needed at that time.

Whatever challenges you are facing right now, remember that God has promised to be your “Kemoabe,” your faithful friend. He was with Joshua, and He was also with His disciples. As He sent them out to make disciples of all the world, He promised He would be with them always. God will be that faithful friend in any and all circumstances.

We know He is our friend. Scripture gives us that assurance over and over again. One of the greatest reminders of that is this passage:

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

That is what our Kemosabe, our faithful friend, did for us. Jesus came for that very reason. And He laid down His life for His friends, for us, so that we could have forgiveness and the certainty of salvation. Our friend is with us.