“But you, stand here by me…You shall be careful therefore to do as the LORD your God has commanded you.  You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.  You shall walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you possess.”  Deuteronomy 5:31-33

 

As I awoke this morning, my first thought was, “Today is the first day of Mom’s chemo treatments.” Mom was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer and will have 4 rounds of chemo followed by radiation.

Mom has been positive and brave about the journey before her; but still, the idea of cancer, chemo and radiation can be overwhelming and cause anxiety, so I’ve prayed many times in anticipation of this day, and I prayed again this morning.

I prayed for Mom’s health and wellness, and for God to be with her throughout any struggles and difficulties she might face.  I prayed for God to help me be a good caregiver – to help me be attentive, patient, gracious and kind; to help me be sensitive to Mom’s needs and to know what to do if any problems arise.

God’s reply surprised me – not just that I heard a reply, but also what He said:

“Just stick with Me, kid.”

What?  His reply was funny to me at first.  Then, after thinking about it for a moment, God’s reply made perfect sense. It’s the message God gave frequently to people of the Bible before they faced challenges or entered into battle.  “Just stick with Me” was the commandment God gave the Israelites as they made their way through the wilderness in pursuit of the Promised Land.

God demonstrated the importance of His instruction to “just stick with Him” when Moses led the Israelites into battle against Amalek.  The Bible tells us that Moses stood on top of a hill, keeping his staff raised, while the Israelites battled the Amalekites.  As long as Moses kept his staff raised, the Israelites were winning, but when the staff lowered, the Amalekites would prevail.  As Moses’ arm tired, he sat on a rock while Aaron (Moses’ brother) and Hur stood beside him to support his arm and keep the staff raised high, thus giving the Israelites victory over the Amalekites.  By sticking with God – and relying on a little help from his friends – Moses found favor with God and was victorious. (Exodus 17:8-16)

God also reminded Joshua to “just stick with Me’ when Joshua faced challenging times. God instructed Joshua to keep his focus on the Lord and trust in Him.  Joshua’s obedience and trust in the Lord served him well.  Remember how Joshua successfully crossed of the River Jordan, leading the Israelites into the Promised Land? (Joshua, chapters 1-4) There was also the battle of Jericho when the walls came tumbling down.  (Joshua, chapter 6)   “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down…” Hebrews 11:30

When God says, “Just stick with Me, kid,” He is reminding us that, as long as we remain faithful to Him, trust in Him, and follow as He leads, He will be with us in challenging times (be with me to help my Mom), guide us through our journeys, and give us strength for the battles along the way (like Mom facing cancer).

What are your challenges today?  Are you on a “journey” or facing one ahead?  What battles are you or your loved ones going through?  Whatever it is, God’s message to you is, “Just stick with Me, kid.”

NOTES:  There are many examples of God helping people prepare for tough times and face challenges.  To read about the examples shared above and other stories, you can go to http://www.Biblegateway.com  Look for the Bible passages above or search for other stories and people of the Bible.  You can also search for key words like “battle” or “courage.”

With blessings,

Renee