A Great Scripture

I came across this great scripture last week. It really got me excited though it’s not the first time I’ve read it. As is often the case, I can read a thing several times before it clicks or, as now, actually seems to explode in me. The scripture: Deuteronomy 31:8. It’s at the end of Moses’ life and he has just turned things over to Joshua and commissioned him to take the Israelites into the Promised Land, and then Moses says this: “The Lord himself goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you, neither forsake you, fear not, neither be dismayed.”

Here the Israelites were finally going to enter into God’s promise. But much warfare was ahead of them; battles and hardships, dangers and privations, and on top of that they were going to lose their trusted leader, Moses, who was now to be replaced with his underling, and just when things were about to heat up.

But . . . and here’s the good part . . . they are left with this incredible promise that God Himself was going to go before them. It was God who would be preparing the way for them, softening up the enemy, setting the stage for victory. And if that were not enough, after He had finished all this preparatory work, God was also going to go with them. Yes, every step of the way He would be there to gird them up, encourage them, guide them, and strengthen them. And then, get this, God would not fail them. He could be counted on to bring the thing to its proper conclusion. And He wouldn’t leave them either when things got rough. He would stick with them all the way. In the face of this great promise how could the Israelites fear anything? Or become discourage no matter how long it took to realize victory?

If this was the only scripture in the Bible, aside from those about salvation in Jesus, it would be all we’d ever need. It would be enough to see us through any battle or trial. We need to remember no matter the circumstances, if we’ve committed our way to the Lord, He Himself will go before us, go with us, won’t fail us or forsake us. In the face of a God like that, what is there for us ever to fear?

Until next week,

Sylvia