His Protection

I look at today’s verse and honestly, it was a little scary when I first read it.

Yes, it is encouraging that God will not fail or abandon me.

But that part about “no one will be able to stand against you as long as you live” – if I just blindly apply this sentence to myself without any further examination and without any context, that isn’t very good study or application of the Word of God.

For example, I can’t just read that and decide that I’m justified doing anything that I want, sinful, wicked, or contrary to God’s will and still expect to be blessed and protected by God.

No. The children that are His and that He loves, He disciplines and corrects. If we have this gift of the Holy Spirit, it convicts us of those things in our lives that need to be changed. And there are always things that need to be changed in our lives.

And this talks about him being with Joshua like He was with Moses. And yes, that same Holy Spirit that was with both Moses and Joshua is with us, IF WE HAVE RECEIVED IT.

So the question we want to be sure of is, HAVE I RECEIVED IT?

And if we have, if we know this relationship with Christ daily guiding our lives and leading us, convicting and warning us against those things we used to long for, disciplining us when we don’t heed the warnings – that is very different than our old lives. It is even very different from our old lives when we acted religious, went to church and tried to reluctantly follow the rules, but found ourselves still chasing sin.

Once we have it, and once we are resting in this Grace, a grace that is along the narrow path, a grace that is neither lawlessness nor legalism – it is then that we know his protection. It is then that we see him turning even our mistakes into opportunities for learning and growth and change in our lives. It is then that our hope in God is proven true – that our faithfulness begins to reveal his faithfulness.

I pray that you either have and are aware of God’s Grace today in your life, friend – or that you seer it and find it right now, friend. We never know when or time will be up. I’m not telling you this to sell you my religion, I’m telling you this because He is a true and faithful friend, and I want you to know my friend as your friend as well.

May God bless you and protect you in your day ahead, friend. May no weapon of the enemy prosper against you, friend. May you know the presence and the glory and the wonder of God’s grace in your life today.