Experiencing God's Presence #176

I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Joshua 1:5, NIV

Joshua was about to lead a vast number of wilderness wanderers into the Land of Promise. The parents of these wanderers had once noted how intimidating the land’s inhabitants were, but Joshua had defended God’s promise. Now he would see God’s promise fulfilled. But he would have to be strong and courageous. And he would have to remember that God would never leave him or forsake him.

We have to remember that too. We know in our heads that God will never leave us or forsake us, but when a crisis hits, we often feel like He already has. In moments of confusion or pain, we can get really disoriented. The God who seemed like He was on our side yesterday suddenly seems like He doesn’t even know our names. In those times of confusion, we need to insist to ourselves what we know to be true: that He hasn’t left and He isn’t going to. He is still on our side.

Like Joshua, we face big moments of decision, times when we have to put our faith on the line and be strong and courageous. We may fear the outcome, but we don’t have to. Even if the outcome isn’t what we expected, God will be with us in the surprise or disappointment. But He will also be with us in many victories. Whatever we have to walk through, He is there.

Stake everything on that, no matter how present or absent He seems to be. Trust Him even when you can’t sense Him. He made a binding promise to be with you. And He never breaks a promise.

Father, thank You for being with me. No matter what happens, I know you place victory—in one way or another—in my path. You will lead me into many lands of promise. And on the way there, Your being with me means everything.

From the book