I’m a big backpacker. I’ve gone on trips to the Red River Gorge in Kentucky, to Pictured Rocks and the Porcupine Mountains in upper Michigan, to the Superstition Mountains in North Carolina, and more.
There’s a special sense of urgency when you’re packing for a trip to the wilderness because you know that whatever you pack will be all that you have for the duration of the trip. You can’t swing back to your house to grab something you forgot or make a quick trip to the store. Whatever you pack has to provide everything you need for your journey.
Because of this, there’s a very common phenomenon that happens among campers and backpackers called “packing your fears”. Instead of bringing the common-sense essentials, you begin grabbing items for every possible scenario that your mind can conjure up.
- What if I get cold? Better bring an extra jacket.
- What if I get hurt? I definitely need to bring that arm splint and tourniquet.
- What if my phone dies? Better pack that external battery pack and charger.
And on and on and on until you wind up making your hike with a much heavier pack than you otherwise would have. And your journey is harder for it.
The words above from Deuteronomy are spoken by Moses to the Israelites as they get ready to begin their journey into the Promised Land. They’ve already faced a lot. Slavery and Pharaoh and being chased by the Egyptian army and wandering in the desert and plagues and snakes and hunger and thirst and getting attacked by other people…
So you can imagine as they get ready to enter this land that has been spoken of for the last 40 years, the Promised Land, and God has already told them that part of entering it is going to mean needing to attack and defeat the various people already living in the land, that their fears might be starting to creep up.
But then Moses begins to speak, their stalwart leader, the man who has led and served the Israelites for the last 40 years. He knows he is soon to die, and won’t be entering the Promised Land with them, but if anything, that fact makes his words all the more powerful.
As he speaks, you can imagine Moses flashing back in his memory to all the times the Lord has not failed or abandoned him. Being rescued as a baby from certain death. Being sheltered in the desert after murdering a man. Being called back to Egypt by a bush on fire containing the great I AM. His showdown with Pharaoh and bringing the Israelites safely across the Red Sea. Being led by shadow and by flame. Mana in the desert, and water from the rocks. Time after time after time, God is there and provides.
And so Moses speaks with absolute authority and conviction and confidence and says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. The Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Every day of your life is a journey until you reach the Promised Land – life on the other side of death with Christ forever. The life we live as followers of Jesus is filled with hope and purpose and promise. But it’s never easy. And when we face things that are big and intense and that we know will be challenging, it can be very easy to begin to pack your fears. To let them reside in your mind. To dwell on them.
But Jesus’ response to us in our fears is: “Don’t pack your fears. Pack your faith. When your fears begin to grow, look at me and see how I am even bigger. I am with you. I am for you. I will never abandon you. I will always provide. Trust me.” When we begin to drown in our fears, like Peter beginning to sink, Jesus doesn’t stand and watch. He reaches down and grabs us.
We can trust Him.
When you look back on your life, how has God provided for you? What are your touchstone memories that you can point to and be able to speak with the same conviction and confidence as Moses to pack these thoughts in your mind:
- Jesus will provide for me.
- He will give me the strength I need to make it through each day.
- He will hold me even tighter when my fears creep up and I don’t know what to do.
- He is strong when I am weak.
- He will never fail me.
- He will never abandon me.
Pack your faith. Give Jesus your fears. And continue on your journey knowing Jesus goes with you every single step of the way.