God Will Be with You
By Keneesha Saunders-Liddie
Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. – Deuteronomy 31:6
When I was younger, I had the privilege and responsibility of being a Bible Club leader. At first, I didn’t think that I could do it. Fear was a major part of who I was at that time. I was afraid of literally everything, and I was also very shy. However, through encouragement from my parents, other members of the church, and my love of little children, I took up the responsibility.
I have always been grateful for the exposure to ministry at a young age because my love for serving God only grew. I am still shy, but I try my best to serve God in any area that he places me in. It was because of the encouragement of older brothers and sisters in the faith that I was able to point many boys and girls to Christ.
In our text today, God was telling Moses that it was soon time for him to die. A little further back, if you recall, Moses disobeyed God and struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it because of his frustration. God then told him because of his disobedience he wouldn’t cross over into Jordon and the Promised land.
Moses wasn’t angry at God at all, in fact, he used the little time he had when God told him he was soon to die to go about encouraging Joshua and the Israelites. Throughout Chapter 31 of Deuteronomy we see Moses mentioning about 3 times to be strong and of good courage, and that God would be with them as they proceeded without him.
Moses encouraged and prepared Joshua, and yet Joshua was afraid. Joshua saw how ungrateful the Israelites could be. He was there when they begged and pleaded with Aaron and Miriam to build an idol. He knew the utter depravity that was theirs and his. Wouldn’t you be afraid to take over from Moses?
Moses knew where he came from, what God did through him, in spite of his sin. God still used him, and he had first-hand knowledge that God would never fail him nor would he forsake him. Joshua wasn’t there when he first started out, but Moses probably told him story after story about God’s redeeming love.
Just like I was afraid to take up the mantel, Joshua was also afraid, this is why Moses told him to have courage. The only way to get over fear is by recognizing who is in charge. If Moses or Joshua’s parents had promised to never to fail or forsake him that promise would be less than comforting. Although they might have every intention to follow through with their promise, there is still a possibility that they would fail him. Why? Because they are human.
But we serve a just and holy God who is guaranteed to be there. Everything that he says, he will bring it to pass. Joshua could totally depend on God to see him through. Moses may not have been able to go along with him but God would be there.
If God has called you to a particular job, maybe it’s a new position, maybe it’s to start your own business even though it may be shaky ground take encouragement from Moses. You know Moses’ story, he was also fearful but God gave him the confidence to proclaim in his name.
God can do the very same for you. When God makes a promise, he isn’t like men that should lie, he will keep his word. It doesn’t matter how scary this new adventure is, let go and let God lead the way. Don’t just allow him to lead at the beginning of this venture but let him permeate every aspect of the ministry he has called you to.
Go alongside others who will encourage you to do what God has called you to and be an encouragement to them as well.
Dear Jesus,
At times I get to thinking that you aren’t there with me, but help to remember that your words are true and faithful and you will always be with me in every area of my life. Thank you Lord for this incredible promise!
In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
Keneesha Saunders-Liddie is a writer, avid reader and Jesus lover. She recently started a blog https://womenlovinggodsway.com to encourage women to show Christian love to others and to share biblical counsel with anyone who needs it. She firmly believes that the bible has the answers to everything that pertains to life. She is a wife, mother and student. You can connect with her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenlovinggodsway/ and Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.com/2dvymbvuj452axnfgfgd0xpq0ft3xb/
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Originally published Wednesday, 02 November 2022.
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