Deuteronomy 33:25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. 26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. 27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee"...
This passage of scripture promises to us the grace and strength that we need for today, for we are not promised tomorrow. The mention of our shoes being as iron and brass, refers to the God given ability to stay the course with Christ, through all the ups and downs, and the various successes and disappointments, which may come our way. Especially is it necessary for us to remember that God is our Refuge and Strength, and therefore, there is no point in our christian experience, when we can ever safely dispense with His mercy and grace.
As humans, we often like to get a long detailed plan of action, stretching many years into the future, with accompanying promises and assurances of success, that would be as a guarantee in moving forward. But in the life of Christ, we have the example set forth, where He lived from day to day, receiving strength sufficient for only one day at a time. And it is because we never know up front what a day may bring forth, why we are encouraged to seek God first, so that we may be braced and strengthened for whatever might eventuate throughout the day.
In one instance, the disciples of Christ were taken to the mount of transfiguration, where they were permitted to behold with their own eyes the unveiled glory of the Redeemer. This rare, and singular experience of theirs was a sort of crescendo to the other experiences they had been engaged in with Christ, and for a moment, the future glories of the eternal world was revealed to their wondering eyes.
But not long after this mountain-top experience, they were faced with a serious challenge in the valley, in which a demon possessed boy had been brought to the other disciples so that he could find relief, but to all appearances, the devils had made a mockery of their efforts to exorcise the young lad. Thus it was, that within a single day, Christ and His disciples were taken to two extremes, for which strength and omnipotent power was needed. Let's read:
Matthew 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 9 And as they came down from the mountain"... 14 "There came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Question: How can we as Christians deal with these similar, completely different circumstances in one day, without being overwhelmed in one situation or the other. It is by asking God for grace and strength for today, so that power may be given to help us in times of dire need, especially when the unexpected comes our way. Sometimes in our experiences, both joy and sadness occur without warning in a single day, and if we are not previously prepared, we may buckle under pressure, yielding to fear and discouragement, when we could be strong and resilient through the strength only God alone can impart.
Thus, because the Eternal God is our refuge, it is possible for us to run the Christian race with a steady and even tread, even though at times we may be faced with unforeseen circumstances which may threaten both our faith and our sanity. Let us therefore be faithful in preparing ourselves to face today's challenges, by communing with God first, before the experiences and cares of life come down upon us, for the Christian wins all of his battles on his knees, in the audience chamber of The Most High God.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to seek God's face every day, so that we may be strengthened with might and power in the inner man, and thus be enabled to quench all the fiery darts of the enemy, which may be hurled at us in a single day. Let's read:
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
May the Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!