Writer Ava Pennington once observed, “God’s name is as mighty today as it was the day He revealed it to Moses. The economy may falter, natural disasters may cut swaths of destruction across the earth, and relationships may crumble, but we know and trust in the name of the Lord our God. Everything else will disappoint, but He is Yahweh, and He will never fail.”
I’ve been thinking about the truth of this statement lately. There is so much to pray about. The headlines are alarming. There is so much pain in the world (locally and globally). In the midst of the challenges and chaos stands the church, pointing to the Rock of Ages.
Enter Moses. The words of Deuteronomy 31:6 can be a comfort to us, and to all who look to God for leadership in their lives: “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.”
These words come to us from Moses when he had been through 120 years of dealing with more trouble and trials than triumphs in this world (Deut. 31:2). During those long years, sometimes facing what seemed like impossible odds, he had seen God at work. He had learned to lean on the mighty arm of the Lord and keep walking by faith. He passed the same charge to Joshua, who needed to remember his success depended upon remembering the God who would be with him and never leave him (Deut. 31:8).
These words of Moses were drawn on to instill confidence in the people of God many centuries later, a promise to cling to in times of setbacks and swirling threats (Hebrews 13:5-6). It is interesting to me that after citing these words of Moses, the writer of Hebrews says, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (13:7-8).
Moses definitely spoke the word of God (he was the greatest prophet Israel ever had, surpassed only by Jesus much later). As the gospel spread, more leaders spoke the word of God. Jesus Christ was preached among the disciples who first heard these words in Hebrews 13 and they embraced the gospel and followed Jesus. Their challenge then is our challenge now: consider the way they lived and imitate their faith in our own time and place. And that will always be possible because Jesus our king reigns and remains strong and stable then, now, and forevermore.
What a friend we have in Jesus! Whatever burdens you today, take it to the Lord in prayer. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Act on the truth of these words from a beloved hymn: “In his arms he’ll take and shield thee/Thou wilt find a solace there.”