Living Understanding, Pt 36: Never forsake
Deuteronomy 31:7-8 7Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8The 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.”
Hebrews 13:5-6 5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Joshua 1:9 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
The LORD goes before you
As is often the case with Scripture, this passage has both original context and a present-day context. These verses were spoken by Moses to Joshua as the Israelites were about to cross over the Jordan River to take the Land from the native occupants, the Canaanites. There had already been confrontations with the peoples on the east side of the of the Jordan which had gone very well for the Jews as the LORD had caused the defeat of the people there. In this context, the LORD was saying, “don’t worry, I’ve got your back.”
We don’t have that kind of opposition in the 21st Century Western Church, much can be said the growth of the Lord’s kingdom in 3rd World countries does face significant challenges. That’s not to say that we don’t have challenges in our lives in our own sphere of influence. The modern context is that the LORD does go before us even today. But just what does ‘go before” mean? Is God literally in some spiritual way walking ahead of us as we go about our business? Well, yes and no. Most of the time, we are not engaging in literal battle and God is not walking ahead in that sense as a commander of the following army. But God is God, after all, and He knows everything. He knows each of us personally, knows our past, and knows our future. So, when we begin a new year, or some significant personal or work project, or a new relationship God knows what will work our and what won’t.
“So what,” you say. “How does that help me?” Well, my friend, even if you never talk to God (i.e. pray), he is still talking to you. For instance, see what David (probably) wrote in Psalm 119:
97Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. 98Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. 99I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. 100I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. 101I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. 102I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. 103How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore, I hate every wrong path. 105Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (Psalm 119:97-105)
He will never leave or forsake you
This is why the Word is so important; God talks to us. He lets us know the proper way of living that leads to a good life. He teaches us righteous and holy life so that things go well for us. I don’t think any person has a trouble-free life, but certainly such a person has a less difficult life than would otherwise be the case.
In a very real, intimate, and immediate sense, God never is away from us. He, through the Holy Spirit, is constantly at our side. The world uses words like honor, intuition, and compassion to talk about that kind of living, but in reality, it is God talking to us through His Word, both written and Living.
7Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7)
31What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)
Be content with what you have
We are secure no matter what struggle comes before us, but we hear of people who hoard mountains of inconsequential stuff in their homes, and we hear of people who pursue money no matter what the cost. It seems such people have lost their relationship with Jesus (if they ever had one), and they have become focused on the acquisition of things, rather than relationship with Jesus.
But things can never really help us. Only the One who loves us, who is always at our side can guide us through the minefields of life. It is important to see things, and money, as tools, not goals in themselves. The pursuit of things is deceptive; it corrupts a person’s thinking and blinds that person to true value and happiness in life. We read of people who have more money than they could ever possibly spend, yet seem to be driven to acquire more, as if the more proves their worth. I think we all see the vanity in that.
What about me?
The question becomes then: “Where is the balance in your life?” It is proper to provide for yourself and your family. It is proper to be honorable, diligent, and structured. It is qually important to take time off, to nurture your spouse, to show love and kindness to your kids, to be available when needed. It is not OK to remove yourself from such things by being a workaholic, or absentee parent, or dictatorial. It is deadly to try to life your life without God. There is a cliché that says, “A Lone Ranger is easily picked off by Satan.” A person who devotes himself to the acquisition of things and not relationship with God and fellow humans is such a person: He has no surrounding relationships, he has no righteous accountability, and is extremely vulnerable to deception and sin. Don’t be such a person; follow the two greatest commandments:
37Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)