Faithful Provisions Of The Past Secures Our Hope Ahead
Scripture Passage: Deuteronomy 29:1-13 (NASB)
1 These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He had made with them at Horeb.
2 And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his servants, and to all his land; 3 the great trials which your eyes have seen, those great signs and wonders. 4 Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear. 5 And I have led you in the wilderness for forty years; your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandal has not worn out on your foot. 6 You have not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or other strong drink, in order that you might know that I am the Lord your God. 7 When you reached this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan came out to meet us for battle, but we defeated them; 8 and we took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites. 9 So you will keep the words of this covenant and do them, in order that you may be successful in everything that you do.
10 “You stand today, all of you, before the Lord your God: your heads, your tribes, your elders and your officers, that is, all the men of Israel, 11 your little ones, your wives, and the stranger who is within your camps, from the one who gathers your firewood to the one who draws your water, 12 so that you may enter into the covenant with the Lord your God, and into His oath which the Lord your God is making with you today, 13 in order that He may establish you today as His people, and that He may be your God, just as He spoke to you and as He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
SUMMARY
Moses gathers the people of Israel for a historic day as God promises His covenant to a new generation. Moses reminds the Israelites of the wonders and miracles they have seen since coming from Egypt. Through God’s provision, the clothes and sandals they wore did not wear out, nor did they need to eat bread or drink any wine during the wilderness. He recalls that Israel’s conquer of their enemies is proof of God’s power and love for them. Therefore, Moses urges all of Israel to remember this day and keep the words of the covenant. The covenant that God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has now been extended to a new generation.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
As Moses stands to address the nation, he reminds the people of who God is. He reminds them of His faithfulness, power, provision, and grace. Moses asks Israel to enter into a deep reflection of where they are and how they got there. He urges Israel to keep the covenant close to their hearts, so they may prosper in everything they do. This is a monumental moment as God declares that He is their God and they are His people.
In light of recent events, this passage rebuilds my hope in an eternal and faithful God whom I call father. These past few days have been full of anxiety as our nation awaited the results for our next president. Although there are mixed emotions of unrest or joy, we must remember God’s faithfulness to our country. Regardless of our earthly leadership, God has called us as His people and His covenant is established in us. Our heavenly citizenship is an honor but also a prompting to keep His commandments and obey His words.
APPLICATION
I will praise God for the faithfulness He has shown this nation. America is a nation that is prosperous and built on predominant Christian values. I will pray for our country as we enter a changing leadership. I will pray for the nation to repent of our willingness to compromise and return to the Father.
PRAYER
Father, thank you for building and protecting this beautiful country. I repent for overly relying on human leadership and human acceptance. I repent for not getting on my knees and praying for this nation you love so dearly. I pray that you would take hold of our nation as we heal from the pandemic and political turmoil. I pray that there is unity amongst your people to recall our first love and share who you are to the world. May you remind your people that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. I pray for more love to overshadow anger and disbelief. Lastly, I lift up all those who are in leadership roles. Please remind their hearts to keep your covenant close and adhere to your voice. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
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