Category: Deuteronomy

  • When we say no to God

    drawing of a petulant boy in oversized galoshes hands on hops, stern faced

    The little boy stood there on the path, facing his mother, hands on his hips. I don’t know what had happened, but when I got into earshot, I heard him angrily say, “No! I don’t need help.” The mother said something that I couldn’t quite hear, to which the boy stomped his foot angrily and replied, “I want to do it my way. I’m big now.”

    The scene was cute to me as an observer, though probably not to the mom. I stifled a chuckle and walked on by. I don’t know what he wanted or if he was successful.

    It’s not so cute when we get older. It’s even less so when we’re the petulant child, and God is the parent.

    Now, more than likely, we’re not wearing oversized galoshes and physically stomping our feet, but our response to God is often defiance, rather than humble submission. Or, perhaps that’s just me, but I don’t think so.

    The original sin was ignoring God’s commands. Israel wandered forty years in the desert for disobedience. Peter cut off the servant’s ear. The Scriptures are full of examples. If we all got our acts together the moment we believed, Paul’s letters might have read quite differently.

    We want to follow our own hearts and wills. That seems like good sense, but our hearts are wicked, and our wills are sin-filled.

    It’s why the psalmist says,

    Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

    In Deuteronomy 28-29, the Lord promises blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. That doesn’t mean that if we follow God and are obedient, all our dreams will come true. Someone once said that God is more interested in our holiness than our happiness.

    Still, things will be better in our relationship with Him, no matter our circumstances, if we walk in obedience.

    May we be more like Jesus and less like petulant children.

    Be blessed

    Kevin

    Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

    On a related note

    Stubborn Disobedience
    Those Little Doubts
    # Right Belief Must Become Right Living

  • Trusting when you can’t see the way

    It was a dark and stormy night. I know that sounds clichéd, but  I’ve always wanted to write it, and it was indeed a night that was dark (no moon) and stormy (with pouring rain at times).

    We were on a night march during basic training with the Canadian Armed Forces. We had an objective to find some miles away, using only a compass. It was so dark and the bush so thick in places that we literally had to hold on to the belt of the man in front to stay together. Even from that distance, you couldn’t see the man in front of you at times.

    If the person in the lead stumbled over something, so did everyone else. It was a real challenge to stay together. We were exercising noise discipline, so not more than an odd whisper was allowed. There were a lot of muffled curses and groans. 

    If you got separated, there would be no finding the group again, and the squad was penalized, so we had to hold on tight no matter what. I came to understand that night the reality of the old cliché about the blind leading the blind.

    Not only was it a night march to test our orienteering skills under less-than-ideal conditions, but it was also a team-building exercise. There was nothing to be done but hold on tight to the man in front and trust the leader with the compass. That was hard at times because every step seemed like we had walked miles, and it was unfamiliar terrain, so we had no landmarks to guide us.

    Eventually, we came out within about 20 feet of our mark and within the prescribed time. We weren’t the first team, but we were far from the last. One team had to be found after daylight, and a few stragglers were rounded up.

    We’re called to trust God in much the same way as we had to trust the man in front of us.

    Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

    Sometimes in our faith walk, we don’t know where God is leading, we don’t know how we’re going to get there and everything seems to press in around us. 

    He’s a much better guide than my teammates with the compass. God never fails to deliver on a promise. He has been faithful from before the beginning of time, and He’ll be faithful when time ceases to be.

    Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7:9

    Whatever you face today, trust in God to get you through it. 

    That’s not a cliché, it’s a promise.

    Until next time, put your trust in the one who always delivers.

    Kevin

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