The other day a certain verse in Deuteronomy caught my eye. It's a verse that's found amidst a time of transition in the Old Testament, when Joshua succeeds Moses.
Moses tells all of Israel, "Be strong and courageous... it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you" (Deut. 31:6).
Then Moses tells Joshua in front of the Israelites: “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. It 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” (Deut. 31:7,8).
Note the peace and comfort that is given: "It 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." Transitions can be tough, whether it be receiving a new leader, switching schools, moving 1,000 miles away for a year or coming back to a certain place in Indiana once called "home." Our Heavenly Father knows that transitions can be difficult, that's why the Israelites were given those sweet words of encouragement. Our Lord knows our hearts and sees our tears. That's why He gives us the comfort and confidence that He is with us, He won't leave us, we needn't fear in what lies ahead because "It is the Lord who goes before you."
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