January 23, 2011 (Numbers 34-36, Deuteronomy 1-4)

Deuteronomy begins with another recounting of the journey so far from Moses. In the first chapter we learn that their journey normally would have taken eleven days, but it took them forty years. The price of sin is costly.

As I read these chapters I was struck again by the power of God and by His care and concern for His people. And I was again reminded that the greatness of America was because it was a country founded upon God and His principles and He blessed us. We no longer live in a country that is founded on Godly principles. Laws are being made that provide freedom from religion, not freedom of religion. As a nation, I fear for America. We cannot expect a different outcome for us if we continue to rebel against His principles and His word. I can't change America, but I can start with me. What about me? Am I taking Him at His word? I was struck by this exchange:

^3:23 “At that time I pleaded with the Lord and said, ²⁴ ‘O Sovereign Lord, you have only begun to show your greatness and the strength of your hand to me, your servant. Is there any god in heaven or on earth who can perform such great and mighty deeds as you do? ²⁵Please let me cross the Jordan to see the wonderful land on the other side, the beautiful hill country and the Lebanon mountains.’

 ²⁶ “But the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he would not listen to me. ‘That’s enough!’ he declared. ‘Speak of it no more.

I thought of my continuing struggle to try to maintain Godliness in the midst of a sometimes disobedient child. Which on a larger scale is what Moses went through. He lost his ability to actually enter into the promised land because of his response when the people complained of no water. Instead of following God's instructions, he responded in anger and took credit for providing the water. What have I forfeited because of my anger? Please forgive me God and help me to respond through Your Spirit.

I have seen God do many great and wonderful things. He tells us to never forget them and to pass them on to our children.

^4:9 “But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren. ¹⁰ Never forget the day when you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, where he told me, ‘Summon the people before me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live, and they will teach their children to fear me also.’

We have just recently begun to end our day doing some 'communication' exercises - using "feeling adjectives" to describe ourselves, and then we use that adjective to say "And the first time I felt 'blank' was....    During my turn, a lot of the time my sentence has something to do with either when I got saved, or when I got married. As I type this, I should also include when I had a son, because all of those occasions were 'miracles' - with my salvation being the biggest miracle.

And finally, a reminder that when we chose to go our own ways, we end up with bitterness in our lives. Our bitterness should be a reminder that we need Him.

^4:30 “In the distant future, when you are suffering all these things, you will finally return to the Lord your God and listen to what he tells you. ³¹ For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors.