God’s Presence in the Present Tense

This month, I have added a Scripture writing plan to my daily time with God, in addition to my daily reading. It’s one of those plans where you read a verse or passage, write it out, and then take time to think about it and journal some thoughts.

One of the verses last week was Joshua 1:9

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage: be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

This is one of those often-quoted verses we can find ourselves skimming by if we’re not careful. But it seems like every now and then, I notice a detail in the verse I had never noticed before.

From the fact that God had to tell Joshua (and tell him repeatedly) not to be afraid or dismayed makes me think that he was feeling fearful and dismayed.—And not without case from an earthly perspective.

Joshua had just lost Moses, the nation’s leader and the man Joshua had served through all those years since they left Egypt. From the faithfulness of Joshua’s service, his heart for God, and the few glimpses in Scripture of his interactions with Moses, one can imagine it would have been a painful and bewildering loss for Joshua.

And on top of his own personal loss, he was now the leader of a nation, all of whom were likely also feeling more than a little fearful about life without Moses. His example was a lot to live up to, plus, Joshua was to lead the people into battle to claim the land God had promised them.

And yet, God was still there.

Earlier in the chapter, God promises, “as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (v.5)

But somehow, it seems that the promise hadn’t become “real” to Joshua yet. He was still afraid. Notice how God phrases His promise in verse 9:

“for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

It wasn’t “will be,” but, “is.”

You and I often face things that frighten or dismay us. Yet, no matter how real, how powerful, how overwhelming those emotions may be, the fact of God’s presence remains constant.

As precious as the promise is that God “will be” with us, the full reality of the presence of God for the saved in Christ is the daily, constant truth that God “is” with us.

That is the true remedy for fear or dismay.

Hebrews 13:5b-6 also links the presence of God with the dispelling of fear:

“for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my Helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

When I begin to fear and feel dismayed, it is an invitation to cling to the truth of God’s presence in the present. Since He is with me, there is nothing I need to fear, and nothing too much for Him to handle.

Dear Reader, is there anything causing you to fear or feel dismayed? God is with you this very moment, and He wants to make you strong and courageous as you simply choose to trust Him.

“Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10