
“8 It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Fear is a powerful motivator in life. We can be fearful that we will not have enough to eat and be driven to steal. We can be afraid of the thoughts and judgments of others and be compelled to act or perform in a way that is abnormal or uncomfortable to us. We can even be fearful of authority to the point that we refuse to go faster than 5 MPH below the speed limit (I know, hard to believe). If we were to speak to the top 3 sinful drives in our lives, fear, pride, and lust would have to be at least in consideration for the running.
Some things are worthy of fear. For instance, if you run into a bear while on a hike, a natural fear will come over you; that is good. Your body is screaming at you that this bear’s physical prowess could flatten you like a pancake or like those junk cars that get run over by monster trucks. The fight-or-flight instinct is a fantastic asset to us, and yet, like everything else in life, it has been tainted by sin.
Our verse comes in the context of a leadership handoff; Moses is about to hand things over to Joshua. We all know there is a natural temptation to be fearful when that happens. Many questions can loom in our minds. However, God responds with choice words. Do not fear or be dismayed. His reasoning? Because He is the one that goes before His people. He will not abandon them. God’s got this. Don’t look at your circumstances. Look at your God!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Dan
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