Remembering His Goodness and Provision
Scripture Passage: Deuteronomy 16:1-8 (NASB)
1Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God, for in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 You shall sacrifice the Passover to the Lord your God from the flock and the herd, in the place where the Lord chooses to establish His name. 3 You shall not eat leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), so that you may remember all the days of your life the day when you came out of the land of Egypt. 4 For seven days no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory, and none of the flesh which you sacrifice on the evening of the first day shall remain overnight until morning. 5 You are not allowed to sacrifice the Passover in any of your towns which the Lord your God is giving you; 6 but at the place where the Lord your God chooses to establish His name, you shall sacrifice the Passover in the evening at sunset, at the time that you came out of Egypt. 7 You shall cook and eat it in the place which the Lord your God chooses. In the morning you are to return to your tents. 8 Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord your God; you shall do no work on it.
SUMMARY
This passage outlines how the Israelites can honor and remember God during the Passover and in the month of Abib. Moses urged Israelites to remember God who delivered them from suffering and oppression in Egypt by commemorating the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Moses also taught them to sacrifice to the Lord in the place which the Lord chose as an act of remembering God.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
Worship comes from remembering. Israelites were to eat unleavened bread, so that they can remember the days when the Lord brought them out of Egypt. They left Egypt in such a haste that there was no time to ferment the dough. Although tasteless, lack of leaven in the dough was to avoid fermentation so that the bread would not decompose. Leaven was a symbol of a sin. During the Passover, for seven days they ate unleavened bread and remembered the goodness and provision of God who brought them out of Egypt and rescued them from slavery. On the seventh day there was an assembly to the Lord, a day set apart for Him.
The verse that really resonates with me is “you shall sacrifice the Passover to the Lord your God from the flock and the heard, in the place where the Lord chooses to establish His name.” (Deut.16:2)
Moses asked the Israelites to set up sacrifice and honor God in a certain way, at a certain place where God Himself chose to establish His name. Back then, it was a physical location that Moses was referring to. However, now God establishes Himself in our hearts, and sets His seal of ownership on us through the work of the Holy Spirit. Because of Christ’s death and resurrection on the cross, our bodies have become “temples of the Holy Spirit.” (1 Cor. 6:19) God chose us, established Himself in us, and continues to work with us in love to make us more into His likeness. His light shines in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory. The very place God chose to establish His name is in our hearts.
I felt that Moses was bringing God’s people back to the heart of worship--remembering that God is good and His provisions are perfect. From remembering His goodness, people of God can walk forward in faith trusting that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I felt that he was teaching them not to worship on their own terms, but to worship in a way that is pleasing and honoring to God. “In the place the Lord chooses” he said , and in my heart I prayed that I will not reduce worship to my own terms and conditions, but always worship in a way that brings Him most joy by remembering His goodness, His sovereignty, and His provision.
APPLICATION
The other day, my dad told me that he decided to pray to God only about the things that he was thankful for. He said “once I started--to my surprise--I had so many things I was thankful for.” As I was listening my dad describing and praising God for all the things that he is thankful for, my heart was so moved. I realized also that the Lord has been very very good to us.
Inspired by my dad, I recently started to do a new daily exercise—to write things down of what I am thankful for. I started this exercise because I found myself complaining about my work every time I opened my mouth. As I started this exercise, God reminded me to be thankful for the fact that I am indeed able to work during this pandemic, and that I do not have to worry about my hours. I was thankful that God has kept our family safe even though I have been working at the pharmacy every day and have lots of personal contact with people.
I also want to be intentional about my worship in spending time with Jesus. I’m realizing that it is something that I need to prioritize in my day. If I don’t set apart this time, I will never be able to have intimacy with Him.
PRAYER
Lord, I will remember your goodness to me and to my family. I will write down what you have done in our lives and recount them--whether it be big or small matters. Thank you for the way you are carrying the work that you have started in us, and for how you will bring it to completion. Teach me to worship in a way that brings most joy to your heart, and honors you most. Thank you!! AMEN.
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