“The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as He did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries a son, all the way until you reached this place.” (Deuteronomy 1:30-31 NIV)
We’ve talked over and over again how the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land is a symbolic one for us as New Testament believers. Followers of God journey from initial salvation decision to total sanctification. We move from the slavery of sin toward the gates of the celestial city. Just as the Israelites faced testing and opportunities for further refinement in their journey, so do we. Like them, we take steps forward and we slide backwards, sometimes all in the same day. Let’s keep this in mind as we unpack this promise:
The Lord your God
God is incredibly personal to each of His people. We know from the New Testament that we are adopted as sons and daughters through Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:5, Galatians 4:5-7). Yet even in the Old Testament, God stated His intentions: “I will take you for My people, and I will be your God.” (Exodus 6:7 NIV) This is’t just an overarching people-group promise but a highly individual assurance. He is the Lord our God – personal and intimate with each one of His children.
who is going before you
Sometimes we forget that we are following a leader with perfect vision. He has foresight, hindsight, up-down-and-all-around sight. Closely trailing our Heavenly Father is the most secure position we can keep.
will fight for you
He’s with us, inviting us to follow closely, but He’s also more than willing to fight for us. Pause a moment and wonder with me, who is going to win against God? Any appearance of victory, like the death of His Son on the cross, is temporary at best. God will win in the end; He’s with us and for us. The question is, will we stay with Him? Are we for Him?
as He did in Egypt before your very eyes
Every believer has a track record with God. There was a moment in our story where we became aware of the ludicrous sacrifice He made on our behalf, where we responded with repentance and belief. Our chains of sin fell off and He led us out of enslavement and into the wilderness of sanctification. Sometimes we need to sit down and recall that experience. We need to remember what life in bondage was really like, how it felt to be enslaved to our appetites, addictions and affections. we need to summon back the sweet rush of first freedom that blew through our souls when we initially surrendered to our Savior.
and in the wilderness
We recall what God did on the first day of our freedom but we also acknowledge His ongoing aid in our current wilderness. There’s a stretched-out space between slavery’s borders and heaven’s gates. He patiently walks with us through the empty acres of sanctification. We do not sojourn alone.
the Lord your God carried you
One day we’ll clearly see His footprints in the winding, dusty trail of our story. We’ll know firsthand how He scooped us up and carried us through the darkest, scariest, most-compromising places.
as a Father carries a son
He carries us with such care, such gratuitous compassion. When we finally learn to accept Him as our loving Father (by comparison or contrast to our earthly father) we can rest confident in His grasp. We can breath easy knowing He has us.
all the way you went until you reached this place
Beloved, He’s carrying you Home. Isn’t that what we all long for? A place, a people, a sense of familiarity and belonging? The Israelites were carried toward the Promised Land and we are carried toward Heaven; toward unbroken fellowship with the living God and His people forever and ever amen.
Heavenly Father, Help us find and maintain divine perspective on our journey. Yes, we are on the hard road between slavery and sonship, but it’s ok, You are with us every step of the way. You are personal; for us and fighting our battles. Keep us on the path of sanctification, even when it’s tough, even when we are lonely, sad or tempted. Help us remember Your tremendous salvation effort, supernaturally extricating us from the slavery of sin. Let us recall how You promise to carry us across the really rough places. May we picture it when we are hurting; our selves scooped up into capable arms, carried through the most challenging chapters. We long to welcomed Home, Father. We so look forward to living with You and Your people for always. Amen.