Focus

Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for peace at this time.

---

Read

Deuteronomy 31:14-22 (NRSV)

The LORD said to Moses, “Your time to die is near; call Joshua and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, so that I may commission him.” So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tent of meeting, and the LORD appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud; the pillar of cloud stood at the entrance to the tent.

The LORD said to Moses, “Soon you will lie down with your ancestors. Then this people will begin to prostitute themselves to the foreign gods in their midst, the gods of the land into which they are going; they will forsake me, breaking my covenant that I have made with them. My anger will be kindled against them in that day. I will forsake them and hide my face from them; they will become easy prey, and many terrible troubles will come upon them. In that day they will say, ‘Have not these troubles come upon us because our God is not in our midst?’ On that day I will surely hide my face on account of all the evil they have done by turning to other gods. Now therefore write this song, and teach it to the Israelites; put it in their mouths, in order that this song may be a witness for me against the Israelites. For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I promised on oath to their ancestors, and they have eaten their fill and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, despising me and breaking my covenant. And when many terrible troubles come upon them, this song will confront them as a witness, because it will not be lost from the mouths of their descendants. For I know what they are inclined to do even now, before I have brought them into the land that I promised them on oath.” That very day Moses wrote this song and taught it to the Israelites.

---

Reflect

This passage reminds me of God’s faithfulness. God had promised the Israelites their own land filled with “milk and honey.” God was going to follow through with that promise, even though God knew that the Israelites would turn away and worship other gods. God even instructed Moses to write a song to help the Israelites remember God and the covenant made with them. God also warned that due to the negligence of the Israelites, God would hide God’s face from them. Because of God’s promise, God would make sure they got to the Promised Land, but eventually God would to leave them because of their unfaithfulness.

Later in the Old Testament this indeed came to pass as the Israelites turned from God and then were later taken into captivity. But even then God did not give up on the Israelites. God could easily have said enough is enough and left the Israelites and all humankind to their fate, but God loved the Israelites and loves us enough to offer us redemption and salvation through Jesus. I am thankful that God has never given up on me and God will never give up on you!

---

Pray

Thank you, God, that in the midst of my sin and negligence, you have not given up on me. Thank you for your fulfilled promises to the Israelites and for the gift of your son, Jesus Christ. Help me to love you and love others the way you love all of us. Amen.

Go with God.