NOTES for Jos 1:9

Still, it is interesting: are believers familiar with the feeling of fear? And if so, why? It would seem that if God is near, there is no one and nothing to fear. That is, of course, true, but only if two very important conditions are met. The first is that it must truly be God who is near. Him, and Him alone. One can, of course, imagine that He is near, or convince oneself that He must be here, that He simply has to be, that it cannot be otherwise. Emotions, especially religious emotions, are often quite convincing, and theology can be even more convincing than emotions (though not always). But in the face of real danger, neither emotions nor theology will help. Only God can help then.

And He will help if the second condition is met: in order to help, God must truly be near. Of course, no one would turn that down. But as a rule, in wanting to see God near, few people consider that He will be with us only on His own terms, the chief of which is that, when He is near us, it will be He, and no one else, who determines the course of our lives.

But we would prefer something else: to live our own way and have God nearby as a helper in our affairs and in carrying out our plans. Then He steps aside, and religious emotions and theology take His place. Only when real danger comes do we forget everything, agree to anything, and call on Him for help. It is well if it is not too late.