Thursday, March 17, 2016

Do Not Fear or Be Discouraged

Deuteronomy 1:21 - Look, the LORD your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the LORD God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.

Every person is being, or has been called, to become a child of God. It took me more than half my life to respond. It came at the right time. I don't know why it takes some longer. A lot of time it's whether we choose to answer that call. We might be fearful of what it all means. 

Israel had wandered 40 years, 11 months and 1 day in the wilderness to get to the promised land. It should have taken two weeks. Their grumbling and disobedience caused this. (Just like us if we keep rejecting God's offer.) Forty in the Bible symbolizes a period of testing...or judgment. Moses after his first 40 years of living in Egypt and learning their ways was then led to the "backside" of the mountain to become a sheep herder for 40 years. 

Do you see the connection? Egypt and leading? After those 40 years in leading sheep God called him to lead His people out of Egypt, out of captivity, to the land He had chosen for them. He had to be groomed for this. He needed to learn about Egypt and leading. And he did! 

God has written His Word that we might be encouraged and filled with His wisdom (as opposed to our own), so we can trust that what He says is true. All the examples of everything we need to know is there. We just need to find it. As an aside, I saw an article yesterday entitled: How Can We Understand the Bible? Read It! Now I have to admit I tried several times before receiving Christ and I failed. Too many begats, too many never-heard-of names, etc.  But eventually through the power of the Holy Spirit it became a wondrous thing, this Word of God. 

So, look to the land the LORD has set before you to possess. Do not fear or be discouraged what lies beyond what you know today. If God is leading He has only your good in mind. It will not be without trials but you will be carried through by His strength which far surpasses your own. And the final outcome will be worth it. 

The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes... (Deuteronomy‬ ‭1:30‬)

We can fight and struggle against His will. Yet His will will be done. You 
will either end up in His will or out of it. Might I suggest being in it is the better choice.

Deuteronomy 1:25 - ...It is a good land which the LORD our God is giving us.

No comments:

Post a Comment