Deuteronomy 1:29-33
“Then I said to you, ‘Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ Yet, for all that, you did not believe the LORD your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.”
Moses recounts Israel’s journeys with The Lord. From the time of their captivity in Egypt through their journey into the promised land, God was with them. Having arrived at the place He reserved for them, Israel did not enter in but allowed their fears to consume them. Yes, the land was good and plentiful, but the giants they faced were a source of great concern, turning into fear and doubt. Fear of the problems bigger than they, and perhaps doubt that God would see them through, hindered God’s immediate plan for them.
The avoidance of the next step forward resulted in Moses’ exhortation to not be terrified of these unknown. God knows. Perhaps they had forgotten the power of God up to this point, but Moses reminded them. My take on how Moses probably spoke to them: Don’t worry, He will fight for you. He freed you from your years of bondage. He performed miracles right before your eyes, seeing the impossible things that only a mighty God can do. When you were in the dessert place and lacked any resources of your own to survive, He provided. From where you were back then to where you are now, He carried you as a man carries his son. It was He who searched out the place to pitch your tent. It was He who went out before you. He led you by day and night, lightning the way in the darkness of night and protecting you from the heat of the day. God is not only in the deliverance, but the journey and final destination. God will lead you and fight for you! He has done it before. He will do it again.
So what are you to do? Just believe and follow Him. Don’t let what you perceive, to be bigger than what you have already seen Him do. Take each step in faith as He remains faithful even in your times of fears and faithlessness. Really, with God before you, who can be against you. Perhaps you are facing new uncharted territory which requires one step forward. What will determine the next move, fear or faith in the One who goes before you?