美國交通部的一份報告指出，在2021年美國航空公司處理不當的行李高達兩百萬件。幸虧大部分的行李只是暫時延誤或丟失，但仍有數以萬計的行李永遠不知去向。難怪行李追蹤器越來越搶手，當航空公司放棄尋找時，你還能透過這個裝置追蹤、尋回自己的行李。我們都擔心那些負責單位並不可靠，不會持續追蹤、尋回我們的重要物品。

同樣地，以色列人也有類似的擔憂，但他們害怕的是上帝會丟棄他們。當他們準備進入應許之地建立家園，摩西竟宣布一個令人不安的消息，那就是他將不再帶領他們。他聲稱因年紀老邁，而「不能再領導」他們了（申命記31章2節，新普及譯本）。眾人可能極為震驚，因摩西代表上帝的同在，並傳達上帝的吩咐。難道現在上帝不管他們，要把他們丟在曠野嗎？

摩西說：「不要害怕，也不要畏懼⋯⋯因為耶和華你的上帝和你同去。祂必不撇下你，也不丟棄你」（6節）。摩西向他們保證上帝會永遠與他們同在，並強調上帝絕不會丟棄他們。上帝透過耶穌，向我們做出同樣堅定、牢不可破的承諾。耶穌會與我們同在，「直到世界的末了」（馬太福音28章20節）。上帝絕不會丟棄我們，絕對不會！

The US Department of Transportation reported that in 2021, US airlines mishandled two million bags. Thankfully, many pieces were delayed or lost for only a short period. Thousands of bags were lost for good, however. No wonder there’s a surging market for GPS devices that attach to gear, allowing you to track bags when airlines have given up. We’re all afraid that those in charge can’t be trusted to keep track of what’s important.

Israel had a similar fear about God, only they feared that He was going to lose them. As the people prepared to enter their new homeland, Moses shared the unsettling news that he wouldn’t be guiding them. He explained that he was old and “no longer able to lead [them]” (Deuteronomy 31:2). The people were likely stunned. Moses represented God’s presence and offered His words. Would God forget about them now? Would He lose them in this wilderness?

“Do not be afraid or terrified,” Moses said, “for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (v. 6). He promised that God would always be with them and assured them that He’d never ever lose them. And in the person of Jesus, God makes us this same steady, unbreakable promise. Christ will be with us “to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). God will never lose us. Never.