June 9, 2026
Tuesday, June 9
A race of people stands in the desert of Moab, just outside the Promised Land. They gather by the thousands, straining to hear the last words of their legendary leader. Forty years earlier, God sent Moses to rescue the people from slavery. The Lord promised them a nation of their own, with cities they didn’t build and gardens they didn’t plant, a land of milk and honey. On paper, it should have taken only a few weeks to get there, but the people got stuck. They stalled in the desert for forty years, until that entire generation (with two exceptions) was dead. Now a new generation listens to their 120-year-old leader as he reminds them of the failures of their fathers, and the commands and promises of God.
Moses reaches the end of his talk. His voice is hoarse, and his body exhausted. He tells them he will die on this side of the Jordan. He will never set foot in the Promised Land. I wonder if the Israelites felt a jolt of panic over that. He’s the only leader they’ve ever known. If their parents couldn’t claim the Promised Land with a man as powerful as Moses leading them, what hope do they have? Moses anticipates their fears:
7Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. 8It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:7-8)
Joshua was one of two men (along with Caleb) who was part of that Exodus generation. When everyone else was terrified of the fearsome giants on the other side of the Jordan, Joshua and Caleb urged the people to trust God and obey. Notice Moses doesn’t say to the people, “You’re gonna be fine. Joshua’s my right-hand man. I taught him everything I know.” He also doesn’t say to Joshua, “You’ve already proven how courageous you are. You’ll do great!” Instead, he says the reason they will succeed is because the Lord will go with them.
Starting tomorrow, we’ll see why God’s presence in our lives makes all the difference. Because, to be frank, well-intentioned people often say pious-sounding platitudes when we’re ready to quit: “God bless you! The Lord will be with you!” Why doesn’t this take away our anxiety? Because we need more than words to get unstuck. We need what only He can provide.
“Lord, I know you never leave me, never forsake me. But I pray that I would learn by experience how you are able to deliver me from my worst sins. I trust in you, not in words. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
