“The Lord our God said to us in Horeb, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Turn and take your journey, and go…’” Deuteronomy 1:6-7
To move from being a person with a faith to a person with a mission, you must also break free from your fear of the future.
God was calling these people to do something that none of them had ever done before. Moses says that they are going to live in houses. How do you do that when the only thing you have ever known is sleeping under canvas? Moses says that they are going to plant crops and raise harvests. How do you do that when the only thing you have ever known is gathering manna that comes from heaven? God is leading them to a place they have never been and to a life they have never known. New experiences always bring new fears.
God’s people were facing two challenges: Can we break free from the past, or will it always shape us? Can we overcome our fear of the future, or will it always hold us back?
Moses spoke to the people about the call of God—because when God calls you he gives you the power to break free from the defining power of the past. And Moses spoke to them about the love of God—because it is the love of God that empowers you to overcome your fear of the future. The people heard the call of God, they experienced the love of God, and 70 days later they moved into the Promised Land.
What fears about the future may be holding you back from living a life of mission?