Promised Land

This has hung on my sister and I's bathroom mirror for years, and this morning it spoke to me just a little more powerfully than before.

 

Life has been full of a lot of unexpected twists and turns as of late, and at times it has overwhelmed me to the point of tears. And at other times it seems like a daring adventure. 

I think of the context of this verse-- Moses is speaking to the people of Israel as they are about to enter the promised land (which he will not be entering) and he reminds them of this truth before they make their trek into a new land, with unknown dangers and snares ahead. The land was a prosperous land, and there were 'giants' in that land which some just couldn't see past (Numbers 13). They saw only the giants in the path, and forgot about the God who they served.

The reason that they had to be reminded not to be afraid, was because God knew that there would be scary things ahead. He was well aware that the land of Canaan would pose its own uncertainties for the people of Israel, but, it didn't end there-- God promised to be with his people as they entered that new and uncharted territory. He will never leave you nor forsake you. I imagine those words were water for their wearied souls. 

And I think that life goes like that sometimes. Often, the road ahead looks like it is filled with giants and with dangers. And it just feels a lot safer to stay where we've always been-- in our comfort zone. Because it represents safety for us. But that is not where growth happens. Not in my life at least. Over the past 3+ years I have found myself in a plethora of uncomfortable places-- places which I never planned on finding myself. 

I would always enter like a child entering a pool-- perhaps just placing their toe in at first, to test the water temperature and to still have time to run back to their mother if it felt unsafe. Then, mustering up a little courage, they wade in, calf deep. After having ruled out being eaten by a shark or dying of hypothermia, they venture in fully-- even ready to jump off the diving board into the water below. 

I like safety. I'm not much of a risk-taker. But God placed risk-takers around me to encourage me to jump in and to remind me of this truth that was spoken to the Israelites all those years ago, that remains true for God's people today, as well. We do not walk alone. We need not allow fear to overtake. We need not be discouraged. He is with us, and that is more than enough. 

So, for those of you that find yourselves in some scary, unexpected, dangerous places, remember that the God that delivered His people out of Egypt, with a mighty hand, and brought them into the promised land, walking beside them and allowing them to defeat armies 2, 3, 4 times their size remains faithful to His people today as well. It does not mean that we will have victory at every moment, but we do know that we certainly never go through it alone.

You are worth so much in the eyes of our Father. Let that bring you peace as you step into uncharted territory.