Deuteronomy 31:1-6
1 So Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. 2 And he said to them, “I am a hundred and twenty years old today; I am no longer able to come and go, and the LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not cross this Jordan.’ 3 It is the LORD your God who will cross ahead of you; He will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you, just as the LORD has spoken. 4 The LORD will do to them just as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when He destroyed them. 5 The LORD will deliver them up before you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandments which I have commanded you. 6 Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”
Examine / Explain
These passages are a picture of salvation. Jesus in the Greek comes from the Hebrew Joshua. Leads the people across a divide. On the other side of the divide, there will be battles, but Yahweh has already guaranteed success and will deliver up their enemies. The people are to live according to what God has commanded them to do. Moses reminds the people to be “chazaq amets,” strong and courageous. The people are not to fear the enemy that has been conquered because Yahweh will go with them. He is incapable of failing or forsaking the people.
How do I apply this to my life?
I am not alone! I need to be reminded of that. I know my spouse is with me. I know my kids are for me. But I need more than that. I think there are times we can all feel alone in a crowd. It’s because we are built for community, for a perfect community. However, like everything else in our humanity, we miss the mark. So what can I do about that? I can change my mind and my beliefs to the point of understanding that in my salvation, I have become a son of God. As a son, I have crossed a divide spiritually. I have battles in my life. BUT GOD has won the war. There is an ultimate victory in my life because of Him. I am not to be afraid of the enemy waiting and prowling around my battles. God has conquered the enemy. It may appear that I lost a battle, but God turns those moments into something beautiful for His glory. And I must remember that He was there with me the whole time. The Hebrew word for “with” is used one thousand thirteen times in the Old Testament. Two of those are God with us, Immanuel. So why do I get in these moments of feeling utterly alone in a situation? Is it just that my flesh is weak? Is it just because I have little faith? Do I not trust God? I believe He can handle my salvation, but He is incapable of handling whatever my current situation is. Seem illogical. But it’s not about logic, is it? It’s about believing. It’s about living out my faith in God in a way that puts God before me, and He stays there. The issue is not that God moves or leaves. It’s that I do. I get distracted by life, and I lose sight of God. I become blind to Him.
What is my response?
Father, I want to do better in trusting You. I am broken when I lose sight of You. We are so fickle. We quickly forget You. We can receive the biggest blessing, and we don’t remember where we got it from. Then, there are the most minor things from You, and we just flat-out ignore them. We leak or drift into this state of living that is devoid of You. And yet, You wait for us. You can guide us or You sit patiently for us to flounder in our choices. Either way, You are still there. Never leaving. Never-ending love for us. I just want to stop here and acknowledge You. I am not alone. I am loved. Thank You for salvation. Thank You for every breath today. You are God! Amen.
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