“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never
leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)
My
daughters and I recently took a vacation together outside the United States .
As someone who does not travel anywhere, I thought it was quite interesting –
and a bit scary.
I asked
several questions. “What if we get lost? If our first flight is late, who do we
tell so we can get to the connecting flight? And if that happens, how will we
reach our family to let them know what is going on? Won’t they worry where we
are?”
Questions
and worries. Worries and questions. All unnecessary.
Because
just seconds before we were to get on our flight, my daughter’s husband texted
“I see you are set to board your plane in the next few minutes.” What??!!
“He has
GPS, Mom,” she smiled at me. “He knows when we are boarding and he will know
when we land. He knows exactly where we are.” Seriously? Yes. And, just a few
minutes after our plane landed, another text came through. “I see you are on
the ground. Have fun!”
Now, while
I find it fascinating that GPS can track our every movement, that’s where the
fascination ends.
Because if
I am sick on the flight, GPS can do nothing. If I am sad or discouraged or
anxious as I land, GPS cannot calm me or encourage me. It can only track me on
my journey.
I think
that is why I love Deuteronomy 31:8 so much. It says “The Lord himself goes
before you and will be with you; he will never leave you or forsake you. Do not
be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
God Himself
has already gone before me on my journey through life. He knows all the ups and
downs and every detour in my path. And He will not leave me but instead
will calm my fears and encourage me as He stays by my side.
I need to
ask – what journey are you on today? Are you struggling in a marriage with no
hope in sight? Do you have a child who knows the right thing to do but always
chooses the wrong thing? Have you lost a loved one and find it hard to even
breathe?
With
everything in my heart I encourage you to turn your eyes toward the One who is
beside you on your journey and who has the answers. He understands. He has been
on the path before you and He stands ready to guide you through every minute of
every day.
Call Him by
name. Dig into His Word. Again and again God reminds us that we are not just
someone to be “tracked” but rather, a child dearly loved by a Father who stays
with us and guides us every single day of our lives.
Father, I thank you so much for never
leaving my side and for guiding me each day. Thank you for caring about every
single detail of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
R.A.P. it up
Reflect
·
Have you ever felt alone in a situation in your
life and unsure if anyone cares or if God is even with you?
Application
·
Copy Deuteronomy 31:8 on an index card and keep
it in your purse or pocket to remind you of God’s care over you no matter what
is going on. This is a great Scripture to memorize.
Power Verses
·
Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV) “The Lord himself goes
before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do
not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
·
Joshua 1:9 (NIV) “Have I not commanded you? Be
strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord
your God will be with you wherever you go.”
·
Psalm 139:8-10 (NIV) “If I go up to the heavens,
you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the
wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand
will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”
·
John 14:18 (NIV) “I will not leave you as
orphans; I will come to you.”
·
Psalm 121:3-4 (NIV) “He will not let your foot
slip – he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will
neither slumber nor sleep.”
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