He Goes Before You
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
— Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)
Moses is a hundred and twenty and says plainly that he will not be crossing the Jordan. He hands everything to Joshua in front of the whole nation. He does not give him a plan, only two promises: God goes ahead, and God stays with you. Then the last line names the two feelings that actually stop people, fear and discouragement.
You are allowed to walk into September without knowing what is in it. Joshua got no plan, only the promise that God would go there first. Most people start a month afraid of what is next or tired of what was. Moses answered both: God will be there ahead of you and beside you.
Walk Into September
- 1Write one sentence about what you want September to look like. Keep it short and real.
- 2Read Deuteronomy 31:8 out loud over it.
- 3Send it to one person and ask what they are walking into, then pray for them by name.
Lord, You are already there, so go first and take my fear with You.
I will walk into September without knowing what is in it.
What is the setting of this verse?
Moses is a hundred and twenty, told he will not cross the Jordan, and is publicly handing leadership to Joshua before the whole nation.
How can God be ahead and with you at once?
The two images work together rather than competing. One speaks to what is coming, the other to the walk itself.
Why name fear and discouragement separately?
Fear looks forward at what might happen. Discouragement looks back at what already has. The verse addresses both.