Our Daily Bread July 24 God Carries Us / By: Karen Pimpo
There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.
Deuteronomy 1:31
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Deuteronomy 1:26–31
26 But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. 27 You grumbled in your tents and said, “The LORD hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. 28 Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt in fear. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.’”
29 Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. 30 The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, 31 and in the wilderness. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”
In 2019, Hurricane Dorian overwhelmed the islands of the Bahamas with intense rain, wind, and flooding—the worst natural disaster in the country’s history. As he sheltered at home with his adult son who has cerebral palsy, Brent knew they needed to leave. Even though Brent is blind, he had to save his son. Tenderly, he placed him over his shoulders and stepped into chin-deep water to carry him to safety.
If an earthly father facing a great obstacle is eager to help his son, think of how much more our heavenly Father is concerned about His children. In the Old Testament, Moses recalled how God carried His people even as they experienced the danger of faltering faith. He reminded the Israelites of how God had delivered them, providing food and water in the desert, fighting against their enemies, and guiding the Israelites with pillars of cloud and fire. Meditating on the many ways God acted on their behalf, Moses said, “There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son” (Deuteronomy 1:31).
The Israelites’ journey through the wilderness wasn’t easy, and their faith waned at times. But it was full of evidence of God’s protection and provision. The image of a father carrying a son—tenderly, courageously, confidently—is a wonderful picture of how God cared for Israel. Even when we face challenges that test our faith, we can remember that God’s there carrying us through them.
Today’s Hymns：
Footprint in the Sand
He Will Carry Me
Scripture and Respond
Deuteronomy 32:9-12
9 For the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance. 10 In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste.He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, 11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young,that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft. 12 The LORD alone led him; no foreign god was with him.
Psalm 91:14-16
14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
Reflection：
In which aspect of life have you seen God’s provision and protection? When you know that God is carrying you tenderly and determinedly, how does this help you face your difficulties?
Prayer：
Dear loving God, even if I cannot feel it, please let me remember you are carrying me. Thank you for your mighty power and mercy.
Wong Wai Tung
(Chief Executive Officer of The Great Wall Education Foundation) &
Sam Chow
(Administrative Officer of The Great Wall Education Foundation)
Reflection and prayer translated by Jenny Hung
