A History Lesson Worth Memorizing
Deuteronomy 4:32-40 (NLT)
“Now search all of history . . . . Has any nation ever heard the voice of God speaking from fire—as you did—and survived?
34 Has any other god dared to take a nation for himself out of another nation by means of trials, miraculous signs, wonders, war, a strong hand, a powerful arm, and terrifying acts? Yet that is what the LORD your God did for you in Egypt, right before your eyes. 35 “He showed you these things so you would know that the LORD is God and there is no other. 36 He let you hear his voice from heaven so he could instruct you. He let you see his great fire here on earth so he could speak to you from it. 37 Because he loved your ancestors, he chose to bless their descendants, and he personally brought you out of Egypt with a great display of power. 38 He drove out nations far greater than you, so he could bring you in and give you their land as your special possession, as it is today.
39 “So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The LORD is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other. 40 If you obey all the decrees and commands I am giving you today, all will be well with you and your children. I am giving you these instructions so you will enjoy a long life in the land the LORD your God is giving you for all time.” Deuteronomy 4:32-40 (NLT)
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Pastor’s Blog
When I look back I find that the real story of my life is not a story of my success and failures, although sometimes my thoughts degenerate to that.
Instead, my life story has become firmly one of God’s intervention, provision and grace. Time after time, from my earliest to most recent memories, my story has been one of God’s coming to the rescue never too early and never too late. That last phrase has become a Christian cliche’ but for me it’s just true.
I am where I am by the grace of God. My life has been all gift. All gift. It is all the result of God, who has not held my sin an failure against me, rather has chosen to use a very broken, breakable, and sinful vessel for His purposes.
Here’s my Christian conviction. I think the same is true of you. Just as Israel is the product of God’s intention and grace, so are you.
Here’s my God-directed advice for you. As you look back and reconstruct your life, do so with God as the Playwright, Director, Author, even main Actor. Make your life a God story. As you pass on the events of your life, do as Moses did. Talk about God in amazed terms and believe what you are saying. And, of course, verse 40 is the clincher. Is it not true that God has only wanted “life” for you, and that when you were in sync and obedient, “life”, the “life of God” was alive in you?
Amen! We practice journaling because most of the Director's fingerprints in our lives are only appreciated (even recognized?) much later, years later in many cases. These spiritual markers are highly valued when we hit the desert!
ReplyDeleteHow torn I am to participate in a baby shower this weekend for my niece and not be able to be back in town for the beginning of this journey, amazing journey we are about to partake. I am so excited and hope I can hold on to this excitement another whole week without burning myself out. I just know in my "knower" that God is going to show up big time throughout this season of study. I know when I finally get there the 2nd week, I'm going to get my socks blow off by what God is going to say and do. I hope you all are as excited and expectant!
ReplyDeletev 32"Ask now abut the former days, long before your time, from the day God created man on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened or has anything like it ever been heard of?"
ReplyDeleteWithin the Israelites timeframe as compared to our's, they were closer to the act of creation than we are. Yet, as close as they were, both in time and in relationship, they still forfeited God for pagan gods. These pagan gods could not/did not ever 'create mankind'. Israel's problems were always founded in idolotry.
The first covenant defined a physical leading from God through sacrifices and rules. The new covenant is a spiritual leading from the Holy Spirit through our minds and our hearts. "I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds" Hebrews 10:16
Without the Holy Spirit guiding us into all truth, might we be just like the Israelites? And, if by chance, we were able to meet all rules, laws, and expectations of the Israelites, would we then be in judgement of others who have not, if we did not have the Spirit's guidance?
For me, the life God wants to give me is measured by my intimacy with the Father. He has promised to finish the work He has begun in me and that can only happen as I learn to yield my heart more and more.
Thank you, Jesus