Nougat 28

Wanna learn a new word? – it’s ‘chazak’, which means be courageous. How’s that for a promise? Well there’s more to it in today’s Holy Nougat

“Chazak! Be courageous! Do not be afraid or tremble before them. For Adonai your God—He is the One who goes with you. He will not fail you or abandon you.”” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:6‬ ‭TLV‬‬

Remember, at the time when Moses said these words, the children of Israel were not quite a nation. They were still generally agrarian ex-slaves trying to believe God’s grace was working in their favor. And more specifically, Moses’s core audience comprised nomads. Yes, walking in the wilderness was all they knew. 40 years is almost a full generation of walking!

Remember – those with the entrenched institutional memories of life in Egypt (400+ years of enslavement) died in the 40-year trek in the wilderness. So, the majority had memories of what their parents told them about Egypt and their own experiences of the divinity of God through the many exploits and miracles en route Canaan to sustain them. And, for the most part, they were young – 40 years and under!

It must have been an emotionally stressful situation. Moses their leader was demitting office as leader, prophet and spiritual guide. They knew no other leader and they knew no other way of being. The few who were still around from Egypt were somewhat mentally and emotionally enslaved did not know how to be rulers in a nation; and the younger generation (almost the entire nation) were not accustomed to living in one place. And it must’ve felt like Moses and God were abandoning them at the same time! The words from Moses were critical; as it would prepare them for their new phase as a nation.

He reminded them of God’s comforting, miraculous, abiding presence from Egypt to the Land of Promise. (Yes, even where they went was part of God’s promises to them). Moses further assured them that God would go before them, especially in battle. Isn’t that awesome – not that I’m promoting war – to know God fights our battles?! He implies that yet again in the Chazak speech. See?, where he said Adonai goes before and will neither fail nor abandon them. Now that’s what I call reassurance!

And we are offered those words when we are in the wilderness. When we feel that we are on the brink of breakthrough and face what appears to be a monumental setback. Our Moses might be dead, but *Jesus* (whose name can also be interpreted as Joshua) is very much alive! I guarantee that because He is the Lord, Jesus is with us (see Matthew 28:20) and goes before us! And Jesus even gave us the Comforter, God’s Spirit, to assure and remind us that God will not fail or abandon us.

We can reach out to God and we’ll find: God’s already here

No matter how it feels

Whether we’re mentally, emotionally, spiritually or physically enslaved at this time or not.

Whether we’re first generation migrant or not

Whether we know how to be God’s good children or not

That’s God’s promise to us – Will we receive it?

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May all we seek be found in Christ