November 25, 2025

Deuteronomy 31:14-23  (HCSB)
14 The Lord said to Moses, “The time of your death is now approaching. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting so that I may commission him.” When Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting, 15 the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood at the entrance to the tent. 16 The Lord said to Moses, “You are about to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon commit adultery with the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will abandon Me and break the covenant I have made with them. 17 My anger will burn against them on that day; I will abandon them and hide My face from them so that they will become easy prey. Many troubles and afflictions will come to them. On that day they will say, ‘Haven’t these troubles come to us because our God is no longer with us?’
18 I will certainly hide My face on that day because of all the evil they have done by turning to other gods. 19 Therefore write down this song for yourselves and teach it to the Israelites; have them recite it, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the Israelites. 20 When I bring them into the land I swore to give their fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey, they will eat their fill and prosper. They will turn to other gods and worship them, despising Me and breaking My covenant. 21 And when many troubles and afflictions come to them, this song will testify against them, because their descendants will not have forgotten it. For I know what they are prone to do, even before I bring them into the land I swore to give them.” 22 So Moses wrote down this song on that day and taught it to the Israelites.
23 The Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun, “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I swore to them, and I will be with you.”

Andrea Campo
This passage is a bittersweet moment in the story of God’s people. Moses, the faithful leader who had walked so closely with God, is nearing the end of his journey. God calls him and Joshua to the tent of meeting—not for a celebratory sendoff, but to prepare them both for what is coming. And what’s coming is not victory songs and peace, but rebellion. God tells Moses that after his death, the people will turn away. They will break the covenant. They will chase after other gods. It’s a painful truth: even after the miracles, the provision, the victories—God’s people will still fall. And yet, right in the middle of that hard truth, God commissions Joshua with courage: “Be strong and courageous... I myself will be with you.” This is the heart of our God. He doesn’t abandon the work of His hands, even when He knows we will fail. He doesn’t give up on His people, even when He foresees their wandering. He keeps going. He keeps calling. He keeps choosing. This passage reminds us that God’s faithfulness is not dependent on our perfection. He knows our weakness. He sees our rebellion even before we do. And still—He promises His presence. Still, He says, “I will be with you.” Sometimes we carry the weight of other people’s choices—like Moses and Joshua did. Or we look at our own hearts and feel the ache of wandering. But God calls us to keep going, not because of our strength, but because of His presence.
Like Joshua, you may feel overwhelmed by what lies ahead. You may even wonder if your efforts will matter. But God sees the whole story. And He still calls you. Still commissions you. Still walks beside you. Be faithful, even when the road is hard. Be strong, even when others stumble. Be courageous, because He is with you.