Faith For This Place

Ruth

I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the wilderness. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”

—Deuteronomy 1:29–31

Life is full of joy, but it’s also unpredictable and scary. We are in good company when we read the Bible—we find so many stories of God’s people learning to trust Him and moving out in faith, even when fear is lurking close by. And we’re encouraged that God has to keep reminding His people not to be afraid.

This is what I love about the Lord’s reminder in Deuteronomy 1:29–31 to the Israelites before entering the land of promise. They too were afraid. They too were wondering, What if God doesn’t come through? They too wrestled with trusting in God’s goodness and faithfulness for the future, though they had seen it with their “very eyes” in the past (v. 30).

So just as He reminded the Israelites then, He reminds us now—I am going before you. I will fight for you. You’ve seen Me do it before; I’ll do it again. Moses reminded them that the Lord had been good and faithful, carrying them like a father carries his son, all the way until they reached “this place” (v. 31).

Fear lives in the “next place.” Fear lives in next week or next year. It lives down the road, when our kids are out of the house or when we grow old. It robs us of today. Causes us to be forgetful. Yet God wants us to remember that He has been faithful to provide all we need to get us to “this place.” And if He has gotten us to this place, we can be sure He will get us to the next place, where He is present and sufficient.

What is making you fearful today? Are you resting in the place God has you, or are you anxious about where He is leading you? Fight fear today with the faith that God’s presence and power are with you. May His peace, the peace that surpasses all understanding, guard your heart and mind from needless worry—because you know your God is near. And you know He is good.

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness and goodness to get me to “this place.” Give me hope today where my faith is weak. Guard my heart and mind with Your peace. Remind me that You are with me and for me, every step of the way. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In what ways do you live in the “next place” instead of in “this place”?

How can you fight fear with faith today?