our daily bread

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Dexu Xia

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May 13, 2017, 3:48:06 AM5/13/17

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Unlighted Paths

The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

As we ventured home from a family vacation, the road took us through some desolate parts of central Oregon. For nearly two hours after dusk we drove through deep canyons and across desert plateaus. Fewer than twenty sets of headlights punctuated the darkness. Eventually the moon rose on the horizon, visible to us when the road crested hills but eclipsed when we traveled through the lowlands. My daughter remarked on its light, calling it a reminder of God’s presence. I asked whether she needed to see it to know He was there. She replied, “No, but it sure helps.”

After Moses’s death, Joshua inherited leadership of the Israelites and was charged to take God’s chosen people into the Promised Land. Despite his divine commission, Joshua must have felt challenged by the daunting nature of his task. God graciously offered Joshua assurance to be with him on the journey ahead (Josh. 1:9).

Lord, thank You for being near me even when I cannot see You.

The road of life often travels through uncharted territory. We voyage through seasons when the path ahead isn’t clearly visible. God’s plan may not always be apparent to us, but He has promised to be with us “always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). What greater assurance could we hope for, no matter what uncertainty or challenge we might face? Even when the path is unlit, the Light is with us.

Lord, thank You for being near me even when I cannot see You. Please comfort me with Your presence.

God is with us even when we can’t see Him.

幽暗路径

你无论往哪里去，耶和华你的上帝必与你同在。-约书亚记1章9节

我们在结束家庭旅游返家的途中，经过奥勒冈中部的荒芜之地。在日落后的两小时里，我们在幽暗中驾驶，行经深谷、穿越荒原，少过二十辆车子的车头灯偶尔出现在黑暗中。后来，月亮缓缓升起，当我们行驶在山坡上时，可看见皎洁的月亮，但行经低地时，月亮就被遮掩了。女儿说，那月光就像在提醒我们上帝的同在。我问她，是否要看见月光才能确信上帝的同在。她回答：“不用，但这样也挺有帮助的。”

摩西死后，约书亚继承了领导以色列人的任务，负责率领上帝的选民进入应许之地。虽然约书亚知道这使命是来自上帝，但想必他仍会觉得这任务十分艰巨。于是，上帝慈爱地应许约书亚，必定与他一同前往（约书亚记1章9节）。

人生的道路常会经过未知的境地，有些时候我们必须穿过前头幽暗不清的路径。上帝的计划对我们而言或许晦涩难解，但祂已应许将常与我们同在，“直到世界的末了”（马太福音28章20节）。有了这美好的应许，无论未来我们会面对多少挑战和未知数，都无需担忧。即使前方道路幽暗不明，那真光永远与我们同在。

亲爱的主，我虽眼不能见祢，但感谢祢总在我身旁，
求祢以祢的同在，使我心得安慰。