Thursday 1 Nov 2018

November 1: Deuteronomy 31:6-8

Key Verse: Deuteronomy 31:6
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.

Devotion:
Far too many times in our lives we get scared of the events happening around us and give in to those fears rather than relying on what we know is the truth. Many of us have a fear of heights, some of going over bridges, some of going in lifts. These types of fears do not have a rational physical basis but are embedded within our physic. One of the most amazing and probably terrifying things for many of us would be a glass bridge high over the Grand Canyon, or worse still the glass bridge in China’s Hebei Province which seems to crack as you walk on it!

But these are just physical things messing with our minds – just as roller coasters and so called fun rides at fairs; some do have a fear of such things. They would not be open to the public if they were not completely safe. These are all to do with the physical. When we seek strength in God or support from Him, we do not always expect physical strength but rather spiritual strength to cope with the physical things we see around us.

When Moses was handing over the reins to Joshua, he was giving Joshua the support he needed through spiritual things rather than physical things. He knew they were both just human beings, but Moses had grown to totally rely on God for all matters, both physical and spiritual. We may not be able to see the things God can do for us and we may not believe them at first, but God continues to be there with us and for us. This is a promise made to mankind a long time ago and one which He continues to uphold throughout time.

God loves us as His children and continue to love and support us just as a concerned parent would or should look after their offspring. The trust needs to come from us as we believe and expect that love and support. Moses was trying to show everyone he had trusted and believed and now it was their turn to trust and believe. Not just to trust in what they could see, but in all aspects of life, both physical and spiritual!

Points to Ponder:
Do you only trust things you can see?

Are you willing to trust and believe in our God?