Key Text: Deuteronomy 31:6 (KJV)
"Be strong and of a 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."
Imagine standing at the edge of a vast, unknown wilderness. The path ahead is unclear, filled with potential dangers and challenges. Your heart races, your palms sweat, and fear threatens to overwhelm you. This is the scene we can picture as Moses spoke these powerful words to the Israelites on the brink of entering the Promised Land.
Today, we're going to explore a message that resonates through time, speaking to our hearts just as it did to the Israelites thousands of years ago. It's a message of courage, strength, and unwavering faith in God's presence and support.
Let's break down this verse and see how it applies to our lives today:
"Be strong and of a good courage"
These words aren't just a suggestion; they're a command. God knows that life can be tough. He knows we face challenges that can make us feel weak and afraid. But He's calling us to be strong - not in our own power, but in His.
Think about times in your life when you've felt weak. Maybe it was facing a difficult exam, dealing with a health issue, or confronting a problem at work. God's telling us that in those moments, we need to draw on His strength. It's like He's saying, "I know you feel weak, but I'm here. Lean on Me, and you'll find the strength you need."
And courage? Well, courage isn't the absence of fear. It's moving forward despite that fear. It's saying, "I'm scared, but I'm going to take this step anyway because I trust in God."
"Fear not, nor be afraid of them"
Who are "them"? For the Israelites, it was the inhabitants of the Promised Land - people who seemed bigger, stronger, and more numerous than they were. For us, "them" might be different things:
- It could be people who oppose our faith or mock our beliefs.
- It might be circumstances that seem overwhelming.
- Or it could be our own doubts and insecurities.
Whatever "them" is in our lives, God's telling us not to be afraid. He's not saying these things aren't scary. He's saying that with Him by our side, we don't need to let that fear control us.
"For the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee"
This is the heart of the message. We're not facing our fears alone. The Creator of the universe, the all-powerful, all-knowing God, is right there with us. He's not watching from a distance. He's not sending us out on our own. He's walking beside us every step of the way.
Imagine you're a small child, and you have to walk through a dark room. It's scary, right? But what if your strong, loving parent takes your hand and walks with you? Suddenly, it's not so frightening anymore. That's what God is promising us here. He's holding our hand through the dark and scary places of life.
"He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee"
This is God's promise to us. He will not fail us. He will not abandon us. In a world where people might let us down, where situations might not work out as we hoped, God is constant. He's reliable. He's faithful.
Think about that for a moment. The God who created the stars and the seas, who knows every hair on your head, is promising to stick with you no matter what. That's an incredible thought!
Now, you might be thinking, "That sounds great, but my life is still hard. I still face problems. If God is with me, why do I still struggle?"
That's a fair question. God doesn't promise us a life free from challenges. What He promises is His presence and support as we face those challenges. He promises to give us the strength and courage we need to overcome them.
