The Same God.
Reading Time: 8 minutes
“But even after all He did, you refused to trust the LORD your God…”
Deuteronomy 1:32
The Children of Israel are slaves in Egypt with a dream that one day God will bring them out of bondage and into the land of rest and peace He promises to their ancestors. In response, God raises up Moses to lead them and performs great miracles and signs as He fights to get them out of Egyptian tyranny. When they finally leave the cities of Egypt, the Children of Israel are stuck between the Red Sea raging before them and Pharoah’s army chasing behind them. Then, God moves again and causes the Red Sea to split, allowing them to walk right through. The Children of Israel are now on their way to the place of which they could only dream.
On their journey, God doesn’t stop blessing them. The Israelites have stories for days to tell of how God fights for them even when they don’t deserve it. He uses miracle after miracle to show the people how much He loves and provides for them. God continues to make a way for these people who aren’t strong enough to win these battles on their own. They have the experiences to show that God never leaves nor forsakes them, and the stories to show God’s provision and power.
By God’s power, the Israelites make it through to the promised land, the place of which they’ve dreamed and where they can enjoy God’s rest. They make it to the place their grandparents prayed for. This promised land is supposed to have houses for them that they didn’t build, vineyards they didn’t plant, walls they didn’t erect, animals they didn’t breed, and food they didn’t cultivate. Basically, they are able to finally stop walking and rest in the work of God. They just need to step in!
But, when they see the city they get scared and start to complain again, just like they did before the Red Sea, wondering if they were brought this far to just fail. They question whether they embarked on this whole journey of ups and downs just to quit when they finally made it. They finally get to the destination they were praying for and get so scared that they don’t want to go in.
So often, we pray for things, we long for things, and God gets us through things, but as soon as we are at the door to our blessing we get afraid again. We see how big the job is, we see how powerful the calling is, we see how prestigious the school is, and get scared. We get through our bachelor's degree just to get scared when it’s time for our master's. We wonder if God brought us here to fail instead of remembering we serve the same God who, not only called us to this, but also promised to stay with us through the journey. God will accomplish the plans He makes for you!
I know what it's like to be overwhelmed with the very things I prayed for years ago. I want to trust God. I want to trust Him enough to walk into transitions. I want to trust the God who got me through high school to get me through college. I want to trust that the God who calls me to this position will hold me through it. I’m tired of feeling like I’m not good enough to live in the world God calls me to. I’m tired of my fear of failure keeping me from the things God wants for me. I want to trust the God of my past to lead in my future.
But I said to you, ‘Don’t be shocked or afraid of them! The Lord your God is going ahead of you. He will fight for you, just as you saw him do in Egypt.’
(Deuteronomy 1:29-30)
This may seem like it’s a story without hope, but the story isn’t over. The Israelites are freed from slavery just to be afraid of that freedom. They refuse to go in. They disobey God by not stepping into the thing they prayed and worked for. After 40 more years, the children of Israel get their act together and God raises up Joshua, telling him that his time is now.
After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you— from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.
“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua then commanded the officers of Israel, “Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
(Joshua 1:1-11)
Everywhere Joshua steps will be his. God will be with him just like He was with Moses and Joshua has to just remain courageous. So Joshua immediately gets up and starts moving towards what God promised the people.
God is saying the same thing to you. You may be afraid of walking into that new job or school or relationship, but the God who got you through before has promised to get you through again. You still have a chance to move forward. Don't worry about how long you waited. You’re never too far gone to go back to Jesus.
I originally wrote this devotional in June of 2021 and dedicated it to my friends who were graduating seniors. Even though I came to Oakwood University with the class of 2021, I graduated in 2022. I originally wrote this to encourage my friends to step into the new lanes they had been working towards for the last 3, 4, or 12 years.
Now, it’s my turn. Currently, I am starting my ministerial career at Shiloh SDA in Cincinnati, Ohio. I am beyond excited. I have wanted to do ministry for years. I’ve seen God work so many times and I can’t wait to get out of “practice” and into the “game”. Yet, I find myself scared and in tears feeling overwhelmed and inadequate. But, the same God who used me to start a church called Closer in my second year of college is the same God now. The same God who used me to co-found Redemption, an online young-adult church, is the same God working now. The same God who used me to start a devotional platform with 600 weekly readers is the same God moving now. And the same God who took a kid with ADHD and a 1.8 GPA to graduation and multiple job and school offers will continue to fight for me in the future.
The Lord has gone ahead of you. He will fight for you, just as you saw Him do at Oakwood.
Deuteronomy 1:30 (Pace Version)
Step into what He has called you to! Step into your dream. Go! He is with you. God is doing the fighting. You can not lose. Trust God in this transition. Trust God in this new space He has prepared. Don’t give up. God will never stop fighting. Be strong and courageous. Trust Him. Go into the promise. And thrive.
It’s not about how strong you are, it’s about how strong He is.
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