We read today of two monuments that were built: one by the eastern tribes and the other by the western tribes of Israel.
1. After they had helped the other tribes in the conquest, the Gadites, Reubenties and half of the Manasseh tribe were returning to their land east of Jordan. On the way they built an impressive altar. When they heard of it, the rest of Israel assumed that their brothers had rebelled against their LORD. But we saw that the reason was quite the opposite, one that pleased everyone. As a sign for future generations of the tribes west of Jordan, the eastern tribes built the altar:
- as a witness between both sides that the Lord is God
-so that the geographic boundary between them would not become a faith boundary
- to show that these two and a half tribes inherited God's promise as well; that they have a share in Him
- to show that the eastern tribes promise to worship the Lord and will continue to fear Him
- so that they will be ready for future spiritual difficulties of their community (the weakening of the faith of future generations)
2. Later Joshua gave instruction to the rest of the Israel tribes on the west side of the Jordan. He gave:
- a recap of Israel’s history and God's faithfulness throughout: God fulfilled all his good promises
- another warning that there would be consequences if they would turn away from the One who protects them
- a challenge to "fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness"
- a reminder that God is a holy and jealous God and cannot tolerate them loving false gods instead of Him.
The western tribes declared that they themselves are witnesses to their commitment to God. So Joshua put up a large stone to commemorate their promise.
I loved both these stories and the faith Israel displayed at this present time of their history. How confident they sounded in their God! They made it clear that they knew God: their Mighty One, the Lord their God. They made promises of faithfulness to God and wanted a permanent reminder of those commitments.
We see monuments in every city today of things that its citizens should remember, we take pictures of moments in our lives so that we would remember, we give 'Things Remembered' gifts on important occasions, we give each other promise rings. But what do we promise God and how do we remember our promises? Have you ever made any vow to Him? Have you ever said to God: My most faithful friend, I will too be faithful! (Ouch! Have I?!) I think we cannot deny that God, sure, asks things of us. We've all felt the tug on our hearts. Sometimes we do make promises to God but then we break them, again and again. Still, He is patient with us. Look how He fulfilled His oath to Israel to give them the Promised Land despite them betraying His trust in the desert. Even though it's hard for us to promise God all our faithfulness, this is what He asks of us. I know we will shortly see again that Israel were not perfect, but in today's reading we see that they are willingly promising faithfulness.
Is God asking you to promise him something (or is He maybe just asking you that two of you start by simply talking?)
"So be very careful to love your God." (Joshua 23:11)
Monday, March 15, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
March 14: Joshua 18 to 21
Today's passage continues the surveying and division of the land that had begun in yesterday's verses. We see both the commands and promises that the Lord had given Moses coming to fruition in these verses. Please find several noteworthy details below:
1. Casting lots as a Spirit-led activity. Casting lots, much like drawing straws, serves as a means of identifying an order. Sometimes, we may play rock-paper-scissors to determine whom will make a decision or earn the first place. But what does God's will have to do with such luck? We may find the key ingredient in the phrase "in the presence of the LORD." Joshua did not seek to split the land based on his own biased views; rather, he intended that casting lots would reveal and carry out the Lord's will for the situation. In Acts 1:12-26, the 11 remaining Apostles inquire of the Lord whom they should add to their number in order to return to the complete number of 12 disciples by casting lots.
When you face a difficult set of choices, how do you approach coming to the answer? As we have learned in the Israelites' shortcomings, particularly with the Gibeonites' ruse, we will handle such situations poorly if we do not submit the matter to the Lord in prayer. While the phrase "What would Jesus do?" may be instructive, I encourage you to seek the Lord's will for each matter, asking, "Lord, what would You have me to do? How can I best honor You in this situation?" God will honor such an attitude of humility, and your heart will be full of joy as you carry out His will. This joy will not be a result of constantly pleasant circumstances, but rather because you have submitted your heart to serving God and will find rest in that submission.
2. Upholding the words of Moses in the cities of refuge and the division for the Levites. After dividing the land among the remaining tribes, Joshua and the Israelites honored God's commands to create the cities of refuge and to provide land for the Levites. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you quickly made a promise, only to find its fulfillment to cost something in the end? As Scott has written over previous days, we must be people of our word, even when it hurts. From the text, it appears that the Israelites gave this land willingly, but there must have been remorse in some corners as the just-granted land became part of the Levites' inheritance. Honoring the commands of Moses in this manner is much like tithing: God had always remained the ultimate Grantor of the land or any material blessing; the division thereof should ultimately serve His benefit.
3. Seeing the fulfillment of God's promises. While the Israelites had a part in honoring their commitments, God becomes the focal point of the passage, and His faithfulness is worthy of great praise: "So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled." (Joshua 21:43-45) These words brought to mind two other parallels from the New Testament:
a. All God's promises are "yes" in Christ. In 2 Corinthians 1:18-22, we read: "But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not 'Yes' and 'No.' For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me [Paul] and Silas and Timothy, was not 'Yes' and 'No,' but in him it has always been 'Yes.' For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." Just as God delivered the Promised Land to the Israelites, He has faithfully provided redemption to those who seek Him through Jesus Christ.
b. God will deliver an even greater (and permanent) Promised Land. Revelation 21:1-7 reads:
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'
"He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'
"He said to me: 'It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.'"
QUESTIONS
1. What promises have you seen God uphold in your life this week?
2. In what ways is God calling you to follow Him more closely?
1. Casting lots as a Spirit-led activity. Casting lots, much like drawing straws, serves as a means of identifying an order. Sometimes, we may play rock-paper-scissors to determine whom will make a decision or earn the first place. But what does God's will have to do with such luck? We may find the key ingredient in the phrase "in the presence of the LORD." Joshua did not seek to split the land based on his own biased views; rather, he intended that casting lots would reveal and carry out the Lord's will for the situation. In Acts 1:12-26, the 11 remaining Apostles inquire of the Lord whom they should add to their number in order to return to the complete number of 12 disciples by casting lots.
When you face a difficult set of choices, how do you approach coming to the answer? As we have learned in the Israelites' shortcomings, particularly with the Gibeonites' ruse, we will handle such situations poorly if we do not submit the matter to the Lord in prayer. While the phrase "What would Jesus do?" may be instructive, I encourage you to seek the Lord's will for each matter, asking, "Lord, what would You have me to do? How can I best honor You in this situation?" God will honor such an attitude of humility, and your heart will be full of joy as you carry out His will. This joy will not be a result of constantly pleasant circumstances, but rather because you have submitted your heart to serving God and will find rest in that submission.
2. Upholding the words of Moses in the cities of refuge and the division for the Levites. After dividing the land among the remaining tribes, Joshua and the Israelites honored God's commands to create the cities of refuge and to provide land for the Levites. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you quickly made a promise, only to find its fulfillment to cost something in the end? As Scott has written over previous days, we must be people of our word, even when it hurts. From the text, it appears that the Israelites gave this land willingly, but there must have been remorse in some corners as the just-granted land became part of the Levites' inheritance. Honoring the commands of Moses in this manner is much like tithing: God had always remained the ultimate Grantor of the land or any material blessing; the division thereof should ultimately serve His benefit.
3. Seeing the fulfillment of God's promises. While the Israelites had a part in honoring their commitments, God becomes the focal point of the passage, and His faithfulness is worthy of great praise: "So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled." (Joshua 21:43-45) These words brought to mind two other parallels from the New Testament:
a. All God's promises are "yes" in Christ. In 2 Corinthians 1:18-22, we read: "But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not 'Yes' and 'No.' For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me [Paul] and Silas and Timothy, was not 'Yes' and 'No,' but in him it has always been 'Yes.' For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." Just as God delivered the Promised Land to the Israelites, He has faithfully provided redemption to those who seek Him through Jesus Christ.
b. God will deliver an even greater (and permanent) Promised Land. Revelation 21:1-7 reads:
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'
"He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'
"He said to me: 'It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.'"
QUESTIONS
1. What promises have you seen God uphold in your life this week?
2. In what ways is God calling you to follow Him more closely?
Saturday, March 13, 2010
March 13
Growing older on purpose
Caleb is my hero. Caleb says in our text today, "Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said."
How does an 85 year old have this spunk in his life? Most people 85 are bitter and have already lost their passion in life? How did Caleb do it?
1. He followed God wholeheartedly… verse 9. The mission kept him in the game. It is all about Jesus. If you were to summarize your mission in a sentence what would it be?
2. He had a great resources… “the Lord helped me”… verse 16 With God nothing is impossible.
3. He had great faith… “I will drive them out”… verse 16 Without faith we will fail.
4. He must have stayed in shape.. “just as vigorous.” He must have taken care of his body through exercise and diet. So put down that donut and when you finish reading go out for a walk. Be sure to take an umbrella with you today.
What I find amazing is this guy wanted the hill country. I am a road biker, the kind you pedal, and I hate hills. Taking my body up a hill is not fun. Going down is great but the climb is terrible. I am put to shame here by an 85 year old guy who wants the hill country. No flat lands for him.
So what can we do to grow old on purpose? Do exactly what Caleb did.
When we are 85 let’s have a race up Bear Mountain, NY.
Caleb is my hero. Caleb says in our text today, "Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said."
How does an 85 year old have this spunk in his life? Most people 85 are bitter and have already lost their passion in life? How did Caleb do it?
1. He followed God wholeheartedly… verse 9. The mission kept him in the game. It is all about Jesus. If you were to summarize your mission in a sentence what would it be?
2. He had a great resources… “the Lord helped me”… verse 16 With God nothing is impossible.
3. He had great faith… “I will drive them out”… verse 16 Without faith we will fail.
4. He must have stayed in shape.. “just as vigorous.” He must have taken care of his body through exercise and diet. So put down that donut and when you finish reading go out for a walk. Be sure to take an umbrella with you today.
What I find amazing is this guy wanted the hill country. I am a road biker, the kind you pedal, and I hate hills. Taking my body up a hill is not fun. Going down is great but the climb is terrible. I am put to shame here by an 85 year old guy who wants the hill country. No flat lands for him.
So what can we do to grow old on purpose? Do exactly what Caleb did.
When we are 85 let’s have a race up Bear Mountain, NY.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
March 11
How much is your sin going to cost me?
Joshua 7:1 But the Israelites acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord's anger burned against Israel.
Wait a minute. It says here the Israelites acted unfaithfully. I thought it was Achan who sinned? We gain an insight of the cost of sin in this story. What Achan did ended up infecting, or affecting, the entire group. In the end 36 families had to have funeral services, 36 families lost a loved one and would have to live their entire lives with a huge hole in their hearts. That is a tremendous cost for a single sin. It also says that the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. So there was also a vertical disconnection with God because of this sin.
Now if you are saying this is unfair, this just isn’t right you, you are looking at it from an American point of view. We live in a radical individualistic culture where the individual reigns supreme. We even advertise it “Have it your way” or we sing “I did it my way.”
But in eastern cultures the family and community is tightly bound together. You don’t live individually you live as a group. For one person to bring shame upon themselves is to bring shame upon the family name or the entire group.
What we need to learn from this story is that we are all tied together. No one sins in isolation. The eastern culture is a clearer picture of the true cost of sin.
When I sin I hurt my wife, my children, my church and my community. They might not even know what is going on but my sin will impact them because it impacts me. We are not just individuals we are also groups. This should help us in our fight against sin and temptation.
The opposite is just as equally true. We need to make good decisions so that we become pillars of strength to those around us. Today make good, godly choices and then become a pillar of strength to your family, church and community.
Some Lessons from today’s Reading:
1. Secret sins are not really secret.
2. Look at the pattern of sin..... I saw ... I coveted.... I took...... I hid. Sin starts in the heart.
3. Every sin has a tremendous price tag on it. Think ahead when you are tempted to sin.
4. Make a commitment to be a positive influence in your family today. Live a holy life.
Joshua 7:1 But the Israelites acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord's anger burned against Israel.
Wait a minute. It says here the Israelites acted unfaithfully. I thought it was Achan who sinned? We gain an insight of the cost of sin in this story. What Achan did ended up infecting, or affecting, the entire group. In the end 36 families had to have funeral services, 36 families lost a loved one and would have to live their entire lives with a huge hole in their hearts. That is a tremendous cost for a single sin. It also says that the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. So there was also a vertical disconnection with God because of this sin.
Now if you are saying this is unfair, this just isn’t right you, you are looking at it from an American point of view. We live in a radical individualistic culture where the individual reigns supreme. We even advertise it “Have it your way” or we sing “I did it my way.”
But in eastern cultures the family and community is tightly bound together. You don’t live individually you live as a group. For one person to bring shame upon themselves is to bring shame upon the family name or the entire group.
What we need to learn from this story is that we are all tied together. No one sins in isolation. The eastern culture is a clearer picture of the true cost of sin.
When I sin I hurt my wife, my children, my church and my community. They might not even know what is going on but my sin will impact them because it impacts me. We are not just individuals we are also groups. This should help us in our fight against sin and temptation.
The opposite is just as equally true. We need to make good decisions so that we become pillars of strength to those around us. Today make good, godly choices and then become a pillar of strength to your family, church and community.
Some Lessons from today’s Reading:
1. Secret sins are not really secret.
2. Look at the pattern of sin..... I saw ... I coveted.... I took...... I hid. Sin starts in the heart.
3. Every sin has a tremendous price tag on it. Think ahead when you are tempted to sin.
4. Make a commitment to be a positive influence in your family today. Live a holy life.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
March 10
Joshua 1-5 Thanksgiving Memorials
It is a well known fact that the first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated by the Pilgrim Fathers in 1621 to give thanks for their survival in the New World. In 1789, President George Washington issued a Thanksgiving Day Proclamation to commemorate the first Pilgrim celebration. But, Thomas Jefferson the third president discontinued it, calling Thanksgiving “a kingly practice." For the next decades, Thanksgiving was observed by some individual states but there was no uniformity as to when this occurred. Then, in 1828, Mrs. Sarah Hale the author of "Mary Had A Little Lamb" began campaigning for the restoration of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. She wrote letters and sought appointments with national leaders from the President on down. Time and time again, she was politely rebuffed, sometimes being told it was impossible or impractical to try to legislate. Finally in 1863, President Lincoln listened seriously to her plea that the North and South lay aside enmities and strife on Thanksgiving Day. He proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November as the official "National Thanksgiving Day." This day was finally ratified by the US Congress in 1941.
Mrs. Sarah Hale realized the natural tendency of people to forget the works of God in their lives. In our reading today, God also realized this tendency in people. So, God instituted his own thanksgiving celebration with the crossing of the Jordan River.
The event started with a new president of the L.N.T. (Largest Nomadic Tribe) on the planet. Remember our estimates of 3 to 5 million people. Now they have approached the Jordan River which at flood stage swells to 1/2 mile wide. It is always fast moving since it has a 610 foot drop from Galilee to the Dead Sea. So how is the nation to cross this obstacle? God whips up a miracle, very similar to the Red Sea just a bit smaller in scale, to establish Joshua as his man. But God commands something very unusual in the midst of this miracle. It is the collection of the rocks. 12 stones are to be lifted out of the river. What is interesting is that Joshua also made a pillar of rocks in the middle of the river. There is no record that God had instructed him to do this. This was probably a spontaneous act of worship. Joshua already knew what God's purpose was in having them carry the stones from Jordan, so he simply decided to pile up 12 stones in Jordan as a personal testimony to what God had done for Israel in backing up the waters of the Jordan River. The text tells us that these stones are there to this day. The stones described here were probably visible when the Jordan ran low.
These stones served as a permanent call to give thanks for the mighty works of God. It is so easy for us to lose perspective and to forget to give thanks. We tend to spend most of our time asking God and so little of our time thanking him. Today, remember for a few minutes the great acts of God in your life:
1. Victories the Lord has given you in the past.
2. Situations when God has been especially faithful to you.
3. Obvious answers to prayer.
4. Signs of God’s care for you in the storms of life.
If you need some help, thank him for clean water, food, shelter, freedom, Bibles, his faithfulness.
It is a well known fact that the first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated by the Pilgrim Fathers in 1621 to give thanks for their survival in the New World. In 1789, President George Washington issued a Thanksgiving Day Proclamation to commemorate the first Pilgrim celebration. But, Thomas Jefferson the third president discontinued it, calling Thanksgiving “a kingly practice." For the next decades, Thanksgiving was observed by some individual states but there was no uniformity as to when this occurred. Then, in 1828, Mrs. Sarah Hale the author of "Mary Had A Little Lamb" began campaigning for the restoration of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. She wrote letters and sought appointments with national leaders from the President on down. Time and time again, she was politely rebuffed, sometimes being told it was impossible or impractical to try to legislate. Finally in 1863, President Lincoln listened seriously to her plea that the North and South lay aside enmities and strife on Thanksgiving Day. He proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November as the official "National Thanksgiving Day." This day was finally ratified by the US Congress in 1941.
Mrs. Sarah Hale realized the natural tendency of people to forget the works of God in their lives. In our reading today, God also realized this tendency in people. So, God instituted his own thanksgiving celebration with the crossing of the Jordan River.
The event started with a new president of the L.N.T. (Largest Nomadic Tribe) on the planet. Remember our estimates of 3 to 5 million people. Now they have approached the Jordan River which at flood stage swells to 1/2 mile wide. It is always fast moving since it has a 610 foot drop from Galilee to the Dead Sea. So how is the nation to cross this obstacle? God whips up a miracle, very similar to the Red Sea just a bit smaller in scale, to establish Joshua as his man. But God commands something very unusual in the midst of this miracle. It is the collection of the rocks. 12 stones are to be lifted out of the river. What is interesting is that Joshua also made a pillar of rocks in the middle of the river. There is no record that God had instructed him to do this. This was probably a spontaneous act of worship. Joshua already knew what God's purpose was in having them carry the stones from Jordan, so he simply decided to pile up 12 stones in Jordan as a personal testimony to what God had done for Israel in backing up the waters of the Jordan River. The text tells us that these stones are there to this day. The stones described here were probably visible when the Jordan ran low.
These stones served as a permanent call to give thanks for the mighty works of God. It is so easy for us to lose perspective and to forget to give thanks. We tend to spend most of our time asking God and so little of our time thanking him. Today, remember for a few minutes the great acts of God in your life:
1. Victories the Lord has given you in the past.
2. Situations when God has been especially faithful to you.
3. Obvious answers to prayer.
4. Signs of God’s care for you in the storms of life.
If you need some help, thank him for clean water, food, shelter, freedom, Bibles, his faithfulness.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
March 9
Deuteronomy 33-34
Death of Moses.
In today's reading, Moses climbs Mount Nebo to have one look at the Promised Land before he dies. Looking back on his life, we see that Moses accomplished many great things with God's help. He was blessed early in his life, when his mother hid him from harm. He grew up in luxury, as a part of Pharaoh's household. He was chosen by God to lead His people out of captivity. Through him, God's wonders and miracles were displayed. He was the first to hear and record God's law. He lead the Israelites through the desert for 40 years. Moses certainly had a full life. Even though he was far from perfect, Moses's heart was fully devoted to the Lord.
I think it's safe to say that none of us will accomplish as much as Moses did in our lifetimes. Most of us lead pretty normal, uneventful lives by comparison. But it was not all of his achievements that made him a great man of God. It was his willingness to follow God, even if he was afraid. It was his faithfulness to finish the task God had given him. It was giving his whole life to God. These are the things that stand out to God, not the wondrous deeds and miracles. We can all be great and well-remembered like Moses. All it takes are small things, like giving a stranger a cup of cold water (Matthew 10:42). These are the things that show God our whole hearts belong to Him. Think about how our lives can reflect our devotion to God.
Death of Moses.
In today's reading, Moses climbs Mount Nebo to have one look at the Promised Land before he dies. Looking back on his life, we see that Moses accomplished many great things with God's help. He was blessed early in his life, when his mother hid him from harm. He grew up in luxury, as a part of Pharaoh's household. He was chosen by God to lead His people out of captivity. Through him, God's wonders and miracles were displayed. He was the first to hear and record God's law. He lead the Israelites through the desert for 40 years. Moses certainly had a full life. Even though he was far from perfect, Moses's heart was fully devoted to the Lord.
I think it's safe to say that none of us will accomplish as much as Moses did in our lifetimes. Most of us lead pretty normal, uneventful lives by comparison. But it was not all of his achievements that made him a great man of God. It was his willingness to follow God, even if he was afraid. It was his faithfulness to finish the task God had given him. It was giving his whole life to God. These are the things that stand out to God, not the wondrous deeds and miracles. We can all be great and well-remembered like Moses. All it takes are small things, like giving a stranger a cup of cold water (Matthew 10:42). These are the things that show God our whole hearts belong to Him. Think about how our lives can reflect our devotion to God.
Monday, March 8, 2010
March 8: Deuteronomy 31-32
1. Handover of leadership and encouragement.
The law is recorded, the covenant is renewed and now the leadership role transfers from Moses to Joshua. As the comments in the beginning of the chapter point out however, it was God who was the leader of the Israelites, Moses was just the servant. And Joshua is being called to do the same now. How frightening this must have been for Joshua at a critical moment: before the conquering of the Promised Land. Yet, we see Moses encouraging him and the people:
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deut 31:6)
Some of us might be right now at the eve of a battle or already in the midst of one. But God is simply telling us to be strong and courageous. He is promising us that He will fight for us.
2. Song of Unfaithfulness
Next God gives again warning and reminder to the people of their unfaithfulness (contrasting His faithfulness) but the message is in a different form: God gave them a song. The words that stayed with me are
Describing God:
-He is the Rock, his works are perfect
-A faithful God who does no wrong
-Is he not your Father, your Creator who made you and formed you?
-For the Lord’s portion is his people
Describing the people:
-He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior
-You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth
Imagine if God gave you a song today to sing about your relationship with Him, how would it go? I hope our daily songs are ones of hope and redemption, where we don't forget the Rock that fathered us.
The law is recorded, the covenant is renewed and now the leadership role transfers from Moses to Joshua. As the comments in the beginning of the chapter point out however, it was God who was the leader of the Israelites, Moses was just the servant. And Joshua is being called to do the same now. How frightening this must have been for Joshua at a critical moment: before the conquering of the Promised Land. Yet, we see Moses encouraging him and the people:
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deut 31:6)
Some of us might be right now at the eve of a battle or already in the midst of one. But God is simply telling us to be strong and courageous. He is promising us that He will fight for us.
2. Song of Unfaithfulness
Next God gives again warning and reminder to the people of their unfaithfulness (contrasting His faithfulness) but the message is in a different form: God gave them a song. The words that stayed with me are
Describing God:
-He is the Rock, his works are perfect
-A faithful God who does no wrong
-Is he not your Father, your Creator who made you and formed you?
-For the Lord’s portion is his people
Describing the people:
-He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior
-You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth
Imagine if God gave you a song today to sing about your relationship with Him, how would it go? I hope our daily songs are ones of hope and redemption, where we don't forget the Rock that fathered us.
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