As we continue in our endeavor to know God more, consider Deuteronomy 31:8: “[The LORD] is the one who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave or forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
I find the following attributes of God described in this verse:
- God as Leader (“goes before you)
- God as faithful companion (He will not leave or forsake you)
God goes before me to lead me. He shows me the way not by pointing to it on some map or instruction manual. He leads me Himself. This speaks of His personal and intimate involvement in my life.
God asks the rhetorical question (the answer is obvious) through the Prophet Jeremiah, “Am I a God near at hand, . . . And not a God afar off?” Jer. 23:23
In addition to leading me and going before me, God is a faithful companion along the way. He will not leave me or forsake (abandon, desert, or give up on) me. Because He wants to make sure that I know He is near, He repeats the promise “I will never leave or forsake you” many times in the Bible. He knows that I am afraid of this.
- Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
- Deuteronomy 31:8 “And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
- Joshua 1:5 “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.
- 1Chronicles 28:20 And David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God-my God-will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
- Heb 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.“
No person can make this promise and ever hope to be able to keep it. Having lost my father at age 3, I learned early that people leave and forsake us despite the best intentions. Only God can make the promise to always be with me and really carry it out. He alone is God.
To the only true God, my leader and ever faithful companion, be honor and glory forever!
Rooted and Grounded 