God Goes Before You: Deuteronomy 31:8

Transcript

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Welcome to Beyond Sunday, and thanks for joining me for day 19 of Anchored in God's Promises, the series that we've been doing this month. Every month, this morning, we've been taking one promise from scripture and letting it steady our hearts before the day begins. Today's promise is one that has carried God's people for generations, especially in moments of transition, uncertainty, or fear. It's Deuteronomy 31, 8. It says, the Lord himself goes before you and will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. Moses spoke these words to Joshua, as Joshua was about to take over leadership of Israel. The weight was enormous. The path ahead was full of challenge. And God doesn't send an angel, a delegate or a distant promise. He says the Lord himself goes before you. This is personal. The creator of the universe is not just aware of your situation. He's actively involved. You don't get a substitute shepherd. You get the shepherd himself. Now, he says, goes before you. This phrase means that wherever you're headed, God has already been there. If you're starting a new job, God's already in the workplace. If you're moving to a new city, God's already walking its streets. If you're heading into a difficult conversation, God's already in the room. We often face the future with anxiety because we imagine going into it alone. But you've never taken a single step into a place God wasn't already occupying. Not only does he go before you, he walks with you. This is the double promise of God's presence. He's ahead of you preparing the way, but he is also beside you. For every step, you can walk into uncertainty with confidence, not because you know the details, but because you know the one who does. Now, he says, never leaves you nor forsake you. This is covenant language. In the ancient world, to forsake someone was to abandon them in their time of greatest need. God promises to never do that to you. People may walk out, support systems may fail, circumstances may change, but God's commitment to you is unshakeable. His presence is not seasonal. It's eternal. Moses doesn't say, don't be afraid because the road ahead will be easy. He says it because fear and discouragement lose their power when you know God is with you. Courage isn't the absence of fear. It's moving forward despite fear being because you trust the one beside you. I remember visiting a church member in the hospital before a major surgery. She told me, I'm not afraid anymore. I realize I'm not walking into that operating room alone, that God's already there, and he'll walk out with me too. That's Deuteronomy 31 8 in action. When you know God is before you and with you, fear no longer controls you. Think about the thing in your future that feels the most intimidating right now. It could be a meeting, a move, a change in your family, or a personal goal. Speak this over it Today, the Lord himself goes before me and will be with me. He will never leave me nor forsake me. Say it until it becomes your mindset, not just a memory verse. The Lord himself goes before me and will be with me. He will never leave me nor forsake me. Let's pray. Lord, thank you for going before us, for walking with us, for never leaving us today. Replace our fear with faith and our discouragement with hope. Help us to trust that wherever we go, you are already there in Jesus name. Amen. This is a short verse. I encourage you to send it to someone that needs to read that scripture today. If this verse gave you peace, pass it along. It's a reminder that God is already ahead of you. And the person you send it to. I'll see you back here tomorrow.