God is with you!

Ken Thienemann

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7

Throughout the Bible, there are various moments where God tells someone not to be afraid. Each of those times came at a time when the hearer had every reason to be very afraid. In one instance, Joshua, Israel’s leader after the death of Moses, was leading the Israelites to their promised land (Exodus 3). He was guiding over a million people to a place God had promised, which meant going through overwhelming and terrifying situations.

In the midst of these, God commanded Joshua to do two things: obey God’s Word and be strong and courageous because He was with them. (Joshua 1:7-9). In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus says something similar just after His resurrection. He told His disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Two main things stood out in what Jesus told His disciples. He said, “Go into all nations and make disciples,” and He also assured them that His presence would be with them (“I am with you’). God is always the same. He was the same God when He gave Joshua His Word and the assurance of His presence, and He is the same God who gives us His Word and assures us of His presence today. We are known, loved, and cared for by the faithful, consistent God—and He will never leave or abandon us.

Today, reflect on how you can teach others about Jesus and His words. How does His Word and His presence make you strong and courageous? Before leaving, remember to thank Him for His promise to always be with you.