My greatest mentor was my grandfather. My childhood was not an adventure, it was a battle field. There were moments early on when God gave my brother’s and I a moment of safety in the home of our grandparents. A moment of security before we would enter the unknown battlefield of our parents. I remember when I went to live with them permanently and I will admit my emotions and thoughts were ambivalent, yet over time, especially after college when I entered grad school, did my grandfather’s influence in my life begin to play a very unique roll. I watched him, gleaned from him and learned a great deal about what trusting God meant. What trusting God at His word, meant.The Israelites were standing at the threshold of the Promised Land. Moses knew that he would not be entering, but that Joshua would lead them across. God gave Moses instructions and reassured him that He would go before them, as He did in the desert for 40 years. That He did not bring them this far to just “drop them off”. That He would be with them. I can imagine Joshua felt a bit ambivalent with emotions of fear and anxiety along with excitement. He would be leading all of Israel into the land without his mentor. Moses shared the words to Joshua in front of the people, the words the Lord had shared with him. We see this in Deuteronomy 30. Did you know that when Moses died and Joshua was getting ready to go into the Promise Land that the Lord, again reassured him. He told him, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
What a calm reassurance Joshua must have felt. The God who took them out of Egypt, who went before them for 40 years in the desert as a pillar of fire at night and a cloud during the day…would be with them always.
So, even though his mentor, Moses was not with him, some one he could turn to for advice or counsel as I am sure he did over the 40 years of wandering…Joshua knew that his GOD would be with them always.
My grandfather witnessed me walk through some pretty rough times in my life. He shared moments with me when he did not know if my brothers and I would survive in our early years of life, and watched me struggle through areas in my life from abuse by others. He watched me make mistakes, which I know brought him pain, and he would in turn celebrated victories. He was there when Matt’s dad died and when Joshua was diagnosed with Autism. Even though my desire was that my grandpa would live to see Christ return, I knew he would not always be with me. Months before he died he said this to me, “What a privilege and compliment when God puts
you in a difficult situation implying that He knows He’s given you enough spiritual maturity to handle it.” In other words, “Angel, don’t be afraid of what is in front of you and what you are facing…God is always with you, trust HIM.”Today, my Lord is not in front of me as a pillar or cloud, but His Spirit lives in me. He is my anchor. His promises and Word are an anchor for my soul. When He says He will not leave me…I know that I can walk into the “Promised Land”…because no matter where I go…He is with me. (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:14)
May you know the fullness today of Jesus in your life and may you grasp that He is with you…wherever you go.
Totally HIS,
AT
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