God Is With Us – Have Faith!
BRD REFLECTIONS:
(Chu Qin Fang, SGM, Assistant Small Group Leader)
READ:
Joshua 2:1-24 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
God promised Joshua that He would give the Israelites the land He had promised Moses and exhorted them to be strong and courageous. In preparation for the conquest, Joshua sent two spies to Jericho to assess the situation.
The King of Jericho heard about the Israelites’ mighty victories and became fearful when he knew of the Israelite spies entering his land. Hence, he sent men to seek them out and capture them.
The two spies sought refuge in Rahab’s house and she promised to keep them safe from the king’s soldiers, in exchange for her family’s safety when the Israelites subsequently invaded.
The two spies safely escaped with Rahab’s help. They affirmed that their enemies had heard of Israel’s mighty victories through God and were thus fearful.
APPLY:
Through this story, I am reminded that we have every reason to be courageous for God is with us! In Joshua 1, the Israelites were promised that God would lead them into the Promised Land, and were exhorted to obey and be courageous (Joshua 1:8-9). True enough, Joshua 2 confirms that the Israelites had no reason to fear. Their enemies had heard of God’s power and conversely, were the ones trembling with fear – the battle was already half won!
With God by my side, I need not be fearful of anything but have a holy awe of Almighty God. What great news it is to be on His side! My fear of God should create great trust and confidence in Him, just as Rahab did. Her holy fear prompted her to act in faith and protect the spies in a way that she thought best even though lying was not the godliest of behaviours. Nonetheless, she was remembered as a woman of faith – one who had confidence in what she hoped for and assurance in what she did not see (Hebrews 11:1, 31). Likewise, though I do not see God nor hear Him audibly, the Bible promises that He is with me and I should trust Him!
DO:
Trust in God – He promises that He is with me!
PRAY:
Dear God,
Thank You for the reminder that just as You were with the Israelites as they entered the Promised Land, You are here with us amidst our joy and difficulty. In our joy, You delight with us. In our suffering, You comfort us. Sometimes, it can be difficult to believe that You are with us but help us to walk courageously and trust You – to have confidence in what we hope for and assurance in what we do not see. We commit our days to You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
