Be Not Afraid

1930 Steel Worker

  

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

Here  is one place you would never find me. 

My Swanton, MYF wanted to go to an observation tower in Montreal,the Observatoire Place Ville Marie. We rode up the elevator, the doors opened and I found the tower was glass from ceiling to floor. The youth went dashing to windows looking down on Montreal. Terrified, I leaned against the wall looking straight out. The youth wanted to linger and I wanted to leave... quickly. "Do not be afraid.?" Fine on paper, not in the tower. I was more than ready for the Lord to go with me to the elevator.

In Deuteronomy 31:8 God reassures the Israelites that all will be well. God was removing Moses giving him an eternal rest. This was a monumental change since they relied on Moses for so long. God then appoints Joshua as Moses’ successor to lead them as God had led with Moses.

Right now our society is experiencing monumental changes that can leave us feeling out on a limb, afraid. There is the terrifying fear of a deadly pandemic spiking and getting much worse. There is the fear of a deepening recession causing us loss of income. There is the fear of violence as we reckon with racism.

This may certainly be a discouraging moment. People tell us "We'll get through this. We've been through worse". That isn't helpful. 

What's helpful is God's word. God's word tells us there is more than feeling out on a limb and discouraged. Instead, God's word tells us to go forward on the strength of a divine promise: "The Lord will be with you and never forsake you". No matter how fearful we are or discouraged we become in our monumentally changing society or our own overwhelming  fears and anxieties, God's intention is for us to walk in peace.  It's to know in our hearts that God is a loving, saving God going before us, never leaving or forsaking us. That's God's Promise and God keeps promises.