We Are Never Forgotten
[God] will never leave you nor forsake you. — Deuteronomy 31:6
Today's Scripture
Deuteronomy 31:1-6
Today's Insights
The reassuring message in Deuteronomy 31 echoes beautifully in Psalm 27, though written in different literary styles. Through these divinely inspired texts, God encourages His people to trust in His faithful care during uncertain times. Moses instructed the Israelites to "Be strong and courageous" (Deuteronomy 31:6), and we find these same Hebrew words in Psalm 27:14: "Be strong and take heart."
Moses urged, "Do not be afraid or terrified because of them" (Deuteronomy 31:6), while David proclaimed, "The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1). Both writers emphasize God's unwavering presence. Moses assured, "He will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8), and David confirmed, "Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close" (Psalm 27:10 NLT).
Today's Devotional
In 2021, US airlines mishandled approximately two million bags according to the Department of Transportation. While many were eventually recovered after delays, thousands were permanently lost. This explains the growing popularity of GPS tracking devices that allow travelers to locate their luggage when airlines cannot. We naturally fear that those responsible might fail to safeguard what matters to us.
The Israelites experienced a similar anxiety about God—they worried He might lose track of them. As they prepared to enter the Promised Land, Moses delivered troubling news: he would not be accompanying them. "I am now a hundred and twenty years old and am no longer able to lead you," he explained (Deuteronomy 31:2). This revelation likely alarmed the people. Moses had been their connection to God, delivering His words and representing His presence. Would God forget them now? Would they be abandoned in the wilderness?
Moses reassured them: "Do not be afraid or terrified, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you" (verse 6). He promised that God would remain with them always and would never lose sight of them. This same unshakable promise extends to us through Jesus Christ, who assured us He would be with us "to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). God will never lose us. Never.
Prophetic Significance
This timeless promise of God's unwavering presence foreshadows the ultimate fulfillment in Christ's incarnation—Immanuel, "God with us." The Old Testament assurance that God would never forsake His people anticipates the New Covenant reality where, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, believers experience God's presence more intimately than the Israelites could have imagined. In prophetic tradition, this divine commitment points to the coming age when God's dwelling will be permanently with humanity (Revelation 21:3), completing the promise begun in Deuteronomy. Today's believers stand in this prophetic timeline—no longer fearing abandonment but experiencing the firstfruits of an eternal, unbreakable communion with the God who never loses sight of His own.
Reflect & Pray
When have you feared God had lost you? How has He shown you that He never forgets you?
Dear God, I often fear that I'm out of Your sight and mind. Please help me to trust that You hold me and will never lose me.