WATCHWORD:
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
Meditation:
Your Promised Land
Are you standing on the east side of the Jordan river, looking toward your promised land that the Lord has laid out for you? Do you fear what you might encounter is that what prevents you from taking those steps that would bring you into that gifted destination?
What do you fear? Are you battling other giants, giants that carry the names pride, money, lust, envy, or any other name that distracts you from what is important. Those giants play upon your mind and reduce your faith in God to an afterthought, when all along his presence in our lives is a dragon Slayer, a giant killer, a fear dispatcher. And, yet, we hesitate.
The scripture is full of descriptions of the promised land that the Lord has laid out for us: happiness, joy, compassion, generosity, contentment, love for your fellow man, all these are descriptors of the land that God has promised and you are just steps away. What prevents you? What stops you?
Saint Clare of Assisi is quoted as saying “Go forward without fear for he who created you has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you.”
Do you believe that fearful anxious thoughts melt away in the light of God’s presence in your life? When you turn away from God you are vulnerable to darkness, a darkness that is always at work in the world. We should not be surprised by how easily we fall into sin when we forget to cling God.
In the world, dependency is seen as immaturity. But in God’s Kingdom, depending on Him is a prime measure of maturity. In reality it’s the ticket to your personal promised land. So be it.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. Ephesians 5:8
Prayer for Strength:
Thank you, Lord, for being there for me and allowing me to cry out to you in my times of need. It is amazing to me that the Lord of the Universe would take time to listen to me and to care about what I say. God, there are things happening around me right now that I do not understand. Some of these things make me feel weak, helpless and afraid. Even in the midst of this, I know that you are the Lord. I know that the situation is in Your hand, and I trust You. I beseech you for strength and for wisdom that I would be able to endure the situation and be able to handle it in a way that would bring glory to Your name. In Jesus name, Amen.
