Your sandals shall be iron and bronze; as your days so shall your strength be. Deuteronomy 33: 25, NKJV
Precious Lord, we thank You, in advance, for guiding us in the study of Your Word. Amen
Our promise for today forms a part of the blessing Moses pronounced upon the twelve tribes of Israel just before his death, as they were getting ready to enter the promise land. This particular blessing was placed upon Asher, one of Jacob’s sons by Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant (Genesis 35: 26). It is interesting to compare this blessing by Moses, with the blessing Jacob his father, pronounced upon him, “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king” Genesis 49: 20, NIV). Both blessings speak of things we need for our day to day use: food, and shoes (sandals), with the added blessing of strength for the day!
In Matthew 6, God cautions us not to be too taken up with these very concerns, ” ‘Therefore do not worry saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear…?’ For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (31). God, in His infinite mercy, has promised not to give us more than we can bear; and throughout the years, He has faithfully kept His promise. He did not promise us buttered bread, or grape juice, but He did say that our bread and water would be sure (Isaiah 33: 16).
“As your days, so shall your strength be.” This reminds me of verse 34, of Matthew 6, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” We, as human beings, are usually the ones who seem to go in search of trouble, trying to peep behind the curtains of tomorrow. We want to know today, what tomorrow will bring. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am, that God’s way is the best way. Can you imagine what life would be like if we lived our todays knowing about any sadness that tomorrow might hold in store, and worrying about it? I do not know about you, but life would become unbearable for me.
“Day by day and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here; trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment, I’ve no cause for worry or for fear. He whose heart is kind beyond all measure gives unto each day as He deems best. Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure, mingling toil with peace and rest” Carolina Sandell Berg, (Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, p. 532).
God, the Creator, knows what we need, and as a wonderful, kind, and caring, Father, He will provide for all our needs. Do not fret yourself, the Father knows and He cares. Your day will never be more challenging than the strength provided. He promised, and He keeps His promise, remember?