Day 2: God will never leave us
Deuteronomy 31
So, 2020 has come and gone and may it never darken our doorstep ever again.
If I ever get my hands on a time machine, I must promise myself to never go back to that year.
Now, 2021 is here and I for one, am looking forward to year better than the last. (Although at the moment it feels just as bad. With another lockdown, snow, home schooling and being absent from family and friends.)
If 2020 was the wilderness than surely 2021 has to be the promised land.
A promised land of favour, a promised land of health and recovery, a promised land of unshakeable hope.
I’m loving this new series at church. Looking through scripture and become people of the promise. People who hold onto what it says in the bible and run with it. So that when life is shaking and crumbling around us, we had an unshakable hope in a God who only ever wants the best for us.
Back to the promised land.
In Deuteronomy 31, Moses address the entire nation of Israel and tells them that they are about to enter into the promised land; so get ready to cross.
How would you feel if you were an Israelite then? All you’ve known for an entire generation is wandering around the wilderness, shuffling from one camp site to another. Then the word comes, to be ready, to advance into the promised land.
Would you be happy? Excited? Nervous? Anxious? Worried?
But they needn’t be; as Moses declared these words over them. (Deuteronomy 31:3, 6)
“The Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you… Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
These words were the kick of confidence that the Israelites needed to cross over, as firstly, God himself was crossing ahead, and secondly, He promised to never leave nor forsake them.
Just like the Israelites, we sometimes face overwhelming opposition or change, whether at school, at work, or even at home, we can feel outnumbered and helpless.
But we can take hope in knowing that God goes before us as we walk into 2021 with a fresh hope and expectancy and He will never leave. He will never forsake us. He will always be there.
In front of us guiding our path.
At the side of us cheering us on.
Behind us pushing into an uncertain year with a certain God.
Ps Richard McGuinness
Associate Pastor