Oct 8

God Carried You

"Do not be terrified; the Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you. In the desert you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries His son; He went ahead of you on your journey to show you the way you should go." Deut. 1:29-32

We are not the first children that God has led through the wilderness. Long ago, God led the children of Israel through the desert. He was a pillar of fire by night and a cloud of smoke by day. When He moved, His children knew to follow. Moses summed up their 40 years in a word picture we should never forget, "The Lord your God carried you, as a father carries His son." God will never leave us in the unknown. He will be right there to carry us through. What a promise that is! Our Father is committed to seeing us through. He will encourage us when we are discouraged. He will carry us when we are too weary to go on. He will cover us with his protection and keep us from harm when we are in danger. He will provide for us and give us everything we need. The Israelites were afraid of the unknown. They didn't realize that God had carried them. Their lack of understanding and trust cost them. Instead of gaining entry into the promised land, many of them died in the wilderness and those that did enter had to wander another 40 years. Our Father keeps His promises. Do we believe Him? 1 Thessalonians 5:24 tells us that "The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it." Our Father has called us to this road and He will lead us to the end of it. It's a promise and there is no compromise. If He has said it, He will do it. No matter how dark the road, no matter how terrified we are of our surroundings, no matter what lies in our path, we need never fear for our Father is with us. He will take our hand and lead us through the darkness, through the desert of despair and past all the danger to the Promised Land. If He needs to carry us, He will. There is nothing that will keep us out of the Promised Land if we put our trust in Him and our hand in His.

 Father, thank you for this word picture given by Moses. Help me to remember that you will carry me through the wilderness before me, just as you have in the past. Help me to lean on you. I cannot do it in my own strength or I will fail. Keep me close to you; hold my hand all the way and bring me to the land of promise. In Jesus' name, Amen.