I love Psalm 91:2, "I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.'" When there is nowhere else to turn, we can turn to the Lord for our protection. God is not a god who spun the world to existence only to leave humans to figure things out on their own. He is a God who cares deeply for His people. ... [Continue Reading]
Leaving a Legacy (Deuteronomy 31-32, 34)
The end of Deuteronomy is both depressing and encouraging. It's depressing because Moses is informed by the Lord about the future of Israel - they will fall away from Him, and they will suffer as a result. That isn't good news for someone on his day of death: that the nation he tirelessly led is destined for ruin. At the same time, Moses had ... [Continue Reading]
Which Road? (Deuteronomy 17:14-20; 19; 29-30)
In this portion of Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the Israelites that there is really just one major choice in life, and that one choice has two options. The first option is to follow the Lord, to obey His commands, and to live for His honor. The second option is to become like the neighboring, pagan nations. The second option offers unbelievable ... [Continue Reading]
Learn to be a Storyteller (Deuteronomy 11-12)
As Moses restates the Law (literally, Deuteronomy means "second law"), he does a lot to remind the Israelites of their history and where they've come from. As philosopher George Santayana once said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." It's important to be a storyteller because people need to remember ... [Continue Reading]
What is Your Life Centered Around? (Deuteronomy 9-10)
As Moses continued giving what I consider to be the "final instructions" to the Israelites before they were to enter the Promised Land, he listed something else of great importance. He told them they were to fear the Lord, walk in His ways, love Him, serve Him, and keep His commandments. In other words, their lives were to be centered around God and ... [Continue Reading]
By Whose Strength? (Deuteronomy 7-8)
Moses was reminding the Israelites of the importance of remembering their past: how God had made promises to Abraham, how God redeemed them from slavery from the Egyptians, and how God brought them into the Promised Land. And in truth, God didn't just bring them into the Promised Land, He provided for them every step of the way: they had food to eat, water ... [Continue Reading]
The Value is in the Application (Deuteronomy 5-6)
Have you ever noticed that people don't buy cans of paint, open them up, and just leave them sitting in their house? The value of new paint isn't in simply owning the paint - the value comes when it's applied. Sure, these paint cans look pretty, but the real value comes when the colors are applied to the walls. Similarly, God's commands ... [Continue Reading]
No Matter Where You Go (Deuteronomy 3-4)
In the midst of a lot of instructions for their future, Moses tosses in a promise to the Israelites that we should pay attention to, too. The promise is this: no matter where you go, no matter how far you wander away from the Lord, you can always turn back. God is merciful, and He welcomes home those who, in humility, return to Him. Isn't that ... [Continue Reading]
No Playing Favorites (Deuteronomy 1-2)
There is one small thing in today’s reading that I want to draw attention to, and that is the importance of impartial judgment. In the dealings with the nation of Israel, God wanted people to be treated fairly – regardless of power, position, or prestige. All people were to be regarded with the same level of respect. This principle is carried on ... [Continue Reading]
Whose Glory? (Numbers 20-21, Psalm 90)
Moses was a faithful follower of God, but he made one mistake that cost him his entry into the Promised Land: he tried to take God's glory. The situation was routine - the Israelites were griping about whatever the latest irritant was, which happened to be a lack of water this time. Moses, fed up by all that had ensued over the prior 40 years, was ... [Continue Reading]
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