“The Lord is the One who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Deut. 31:8; NASB
In this passage, Moses was speaking to all the Israelites who were going into the Promised Land. He is one hundred twenty years old and knows God will take him home soon. He knows the initial reaction of the people to his passing will be fear and uncertainty. Throughout Deuteronomy, Moses recapped Israel’s history with God and gave them all the information they needed to live holy lives before Him. They could be certain God would be with them if they honored and obeyed Him. The Lord showed Himself faithful to Israel for forty years as they wandered through the desert. Many of those listening had experienced God’s wrath against their parents who died in the wilderness because of their unbelief (see Heb. 3:19). They could trust God to keep His promises and be there for them regardless of the battles that were ahead of them. We have every reason to trust Him in the same way.
As the story of Israel moves on, we see the faith they had at the beginning of their journey into the Promised Land was conditional. Moses passed, and the Lord assigned Joshua to take his place. All was good for a short time. Problems eventually arose because Israel’s faith waned in the face of adversity. This cycle of trusting God, then not trusting God, is a key lesson found in both the Old and New Testaments. There is only one path to defeating this misery causing cycle. That path is choosing to trust God, no matter what happens in life. This might seem like an elementary concept to follow, but when you throw everyday life into the mix, it can be challenging.
There is a common fear that can challenge the faith of even long-time believers. It is the fear of abandonment. This is a fear that no one loves you. We all need to be loved from the time of birth. If that love is not experienced, it can have negative consequences throughout life. It most often begins during childhood and in a number of ways that are too numerous to list and affect everyone differently. As adults, fear of abandonment can manifest as a need for affirmation or confirmation of our feelings or decisions. We all need to feel as though we are making the right choices in life. When those choices cause a stir among those around us, we need something to confirm our choices. We need to know we are not alone. We need to know there will be someone there to support us, even if we are wrong sometimes, even if we have failed. What I just described is the need for love. I’m not referring to romantic love or even parental love because they are both reliant on man. It is God’s love we need.
When we are called to salvation through Jesus Christ, we receive a new heart. One that can give and receive love in ways not available to unbelievers. We also receive the capacity for tremendous faith and trust, should we decide to use them. The path to growing in faith and trust starts and continues through His Word. Prayerfully reading the Scriptures will increase your faith and trust in God, giving you renewed confidence in His glorious presence in your life. You will not feel alone, no matter what the worldly circumstances around you might be. Your faith will override the fear of abandonment and replace it with confidence in God’s presence in you through His Holy Spirit. He will never leave you nor will He forsake you. You can stand firmly on that and never be afraid of what man can do.
God bless and have a great week