The New Living Translation words Deuteronomy 31:8 as, “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
I am the kind of person who is always looking for the deeper meaning, the connection of all things. To me, life experiences should be clean, clear, and have a pin and thread type connection from physical experiences to spiritual lessons. Experience A leads to experiences B and connects to experience C. Unfortunately, life doesn’t tend to flow in a clear, logical manner. In fact, circumstances can be downright confusing. It might be years before we see any connection or lesson in an experience. Maybe we won’t know the why of something until we see the Lord at the end of all things.
Deuteronomy 31:8 is comforting to the sojourning pilgrim. When things are confusing, we are encouraged to not be afraid or discouraged. Things don’t have to make sense. We just have to continue believing in God and His sovereign wisdom and take the next right step. Not ten steps. One step. We can do this as we silence the distractions, listen to the Lord, read His word, pray, and take a step.
Deuteronomy 31:8 also tells us that God will Himself go before us. It’s not as if He shines a flashlight from millions of lightyears away and expects us to venture forth alone. No. He Himself walks before us and paves the way.
This verse tells us that not only will God tread first through tall grasses leaving a trodden path for us to tread on, He will keep step with us. He won’t bound ahead and help someone else and come back to check on us later. He will stay with us. He will be intimate with us. He will commune with us.
The New International Reader Version states Deuteronomy 31:8 as, “ The Lord himself will go ahead of you. He will be with you. He will never leave you. He’ll never desert you. So don’t be afraid. Don’t lose hope.” I love the last sentence. “Don’t lose hope.”
Hope is a beautiful word. To me, hope is like spring. Hope is bright and always new. Hope gives rise to better things. Hope is the brightness we hang good things upon. Hope makes a way for goodness to enter in. Hope refuses to accept the darkness and chases the light.
Whether you’re walking through something you have for decades or some new uncertainty, have no fear. Don’t lose heart. Don’t lose hope. God is with you wherever you go. God goes before you. He hems you from behind. He won’t leave you. He will make a path and lead you to quiet waters.
