Succession

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 31-34

It’s not an easy thing to contemplate one’s mortality. It’s not easy to come to the end of a season, the end of a relationship, the end of a career, much less the end of a life. It’s not easy to come to terms with the fact that our lives are just temporary blips on the radar screen of eternity. We are eminently expendable. Completely replaceable. None of us is here forever. Father Time is undefeated. One day, we will all walk out the door of our jobs for the final time and someone else’s name will be on the door. One day, we will all say goodbye to our spouse and loved ones and hand off our work to the next generation. Even the best and most successful runs professionally and personally have an expiration date. It’s why succession planning is so important.

Moses had a succession plan. He knew his time as the leader of the people of Israel was coming to a close. He had accomplished his main task which was to bring them to the Promised Land. For forty years, he had been faithful. For forty years, they had looked to him for guidance and wisdom and to discern the Lord’s will. For forty years, he had led them through success and failure in battle and in their journey in the wilderness. They had seen him perform miracles. They had seen him make hard choices. They had seen his face light up with the glory of God. But now a new generation of leadership was needed. And though Moses’ “eyes were not weak, and his vitality had not left him”(Deuteronomy‬ ‭34‬:‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬), it was time for him to pass on the mantle of leadership to another. Thankfully, Moses had been intentional. Joshua had been his right hand man for years. God had been at work preparing Joshua for this moment. And when the time came, Moses was able to pass away in peace, knowing God’s people were in good hands.

Do you have a succession plan? It’s never too early to work on one. It’s never too early to think about who or what comes after you. For your family, succession planning involves a will and power of attorney and advanced healthcare directives. For your job, it means making sure everything you do is written down so it can be passed on to the next person. If you are in leadership, it means identifying and training your potential successor. If you are a pastor, it means making sure the church you lead has a strong and deep leadership base so they won’t miss a beat if you get called on or get called home. Again, none of us is irreplaceable. All of us are expendable on some level. Not because we have no value or worth but simply because our lives are like “sparks that fly upwards.” We are here today and gone tomorrow. Our goal should be to make whatever contribution we can with the gifts and talents and resources we’ve received and then humbly hand the work off to the next one in line.

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 1-2, Psalms 105

Covenant

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 28-30

I have the privilege of walking with a lot of people from a lot of different walks of life in my work as a pastor. They give me the honor of sharing their lives with me. They share their successes and failures, their joys and sorrows, their happiness and heartbreaks with me. Some of them have experienced incredible transformation and triumph. Others seem to never get out of the spiral they find themselves in. Almost always, the key difference has to do with surrender to God.

It’s tempting to read through today’s verses and find “cause and effect.” If I do this, God will do this. If I obey, God will bless. If I disobey, God will curse. Conclusion? Obey and I will live. Disobey and I will die. However, we all know life is not that two-dimensional. It can’t be flattened out. Life is far more complicated because human beings are far more complicated. We are a mixture of all kinds of emotions and motivations that drive our choices and behavior. Who among us can truly say we make decisions with the purest of motivations? I don’t believe any of us can make that claim honestly. There is always a bit of selfishness involved even when we are at our most noble and godly.

The nation of Israel lived in a covenantal relationship with God. The covenant was not based on their obedience but God’s faithfulness. At the same time, there are blessings when we obey God. When we prioritize what He cares about. When we put Him first and worship Him alone. Does that mean all of us will experience health and wealth like the prosperity preachers promise? No. This is not a means to a worldly end. God cares far more about the state of our souls than He does the balance in our bank accounts. He cares far more about the people we are becoming on the inside than the outside. It’s not that God doesn’t care for our bodies. He does! And He will raise us physically from the grave in the resurrection! It’s just that God understands how temporary life in this world can be. Even at our best, we might live into our nineties or maybe one hundred. But our health will fail. Our wealth will eventually be useless to us. So why put our focus there? Focus instead on the higher things. The more important things. Like how our lives bring glory and honor to God. “The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he swore to you, if you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in his ways. Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you bear the Lord’s name, and they will stand in awe of you.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭28‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Bearing the Lord’s name. That’s the true blessing of obedience.

And it’s why God is so quick to forgive when we fail and fall short. When Israel disobeys the covenantal commands and falls away, God offers them a way back through repentance and forgiveness and grace. “When all these things happen to you, the blessings and curses I have set before you, and you come to your senses while you are in all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you, and you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and all your soul by doing  everything I am commanding you today, then he will restore your fortunes, have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. Even if your exiles are at the farthest horizon, he will gather you and bring you back from there.  The Lord your God will bring you into the land your ancestors possessed, and you will take possession of it. He will cause you to prosper and multiply you more than he did your ancestors. The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭30‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Friends, there’s always an opportunity to choose life. It’s never too late to turn from sin. We are never too far gone. We are never without hope. The arm of the Lord is long and the reach of His grace is great. I love how Psalms 139 puts it, “Where can I go to escape your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I fly on the wings of the dawn and settle down on the western horizon, even there your hand will lead me; your right hand will hold on to me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night”  — even the darkness is not dark to you. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to you.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭7‬-‭12‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 31-34

Perspective

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 24-27

Perspective has great power. My mother grew up desperately poor at times. She experienced a lot of uncertainty. A lot of transition. Her father was a pastor who moved around quite a bit due to the philosophy of the denomination he served. He was also quite successful at turning around struggling churches so they would send him to some of the hardest places to do his work. And even though my mom has been blessed with abundance materially and great health physically and a lot of stability in her community, it still shapes her perspective. For example, we gathered on Saturday for a meal at a very nice restaurant. My mom paid the bill which was significant. As she was paying, she remarked to my brother and I that she was going shopping with a coupon the following day that would save her a few dollars. She didn’t see the irony at first but it made us all chuckle.

One of the things Moses attempts to do in his final sermon is remind Israel from whence she came. He wants them to have a healthy and humble perspective as they move into the Promised Land. So he says things like, “Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on the journey after you left Egypt…Remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. Therefore I am commanding you to do this…Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. Therefore I am commanding you to do this.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭24‬:‭9‬, ‭18‬, ‭22‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Why do we observe laws regarding disease or refuse to deny justice to the immigrant, orphan, and widow or leave the gleanings of the fields and orchards for the poor? Because Israel herself was once poor. They were the stranger, the foreigner, the alien. They were the slave, the poor, the fatherless. This is heart behind the Lord’s commands. His laws are not arbitrary or capricious. They are designed to help Israel maintain her perspective. The same is true when they bring the firstfruits of their offering. Every time they do give to the Lord, they are to recite their “origin story.” Deuteronomy 26:5-10, “My father was a wandering Aramean. He went down to Egypt with a few people and resided there as an alien. There he became a great, powerful, and populous nation. But the Egyptians mistreated and oppressed us, and forced us to do hard labor. So we called out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our cry and saw our misery, hardship, and oppression. Then the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, with terrifying power, and with signs and wonders. He led us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. I have now brought the first of the land’s produce that you, Lord, have given me.” What a powerful reminder of God’s great generosity and grace and what a powerful motivator for Israel to give.

What shapes your perspective? Over the years, I have found it helpful to recite all the things God has done for me. I have written down my testimony in various places, detailing all the different events over the course of my life where the Lord clearly interceded. Returning to my testimony or the “origin story” of my faith has served as a powerful reminder to me that informs how I live and how I serve and how I love and how I give.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 28-30

Confusion

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 20-23

Whew. All kinds of confusing stuff in today’s reading. Holy war. The massacre of innocents. Strange regulations regarding unsolved murders. Intermarriage with female prisoners. Inheritance rights. Rebellious children. And then a whole string of random laws governing livestock, agriculture, and fashion. Followed by an extended section on sexual immorality and ritual purity. Then another string of random laws governing slavery, banking, and sacred vows. It’s enough to make one’s head spin!

What do we make of it all? Well, first and foremost, we must acknowledge many of these laws are specifically directed at ancient Israel and therefore have no real application for today. They are designed for a cultural context with which we have no familiarity. They may seem barbaric at times and odd at other times but they held real purpose for an ancient people who were just getting started as a nation. However, this doesn’t mean we have nothing to learn from the text. God is communicating something about Himself to us through these ancient words. For example, purity. Notice how God restricts the sowing of two different kinds of seed and the mixing of fibers in clothing and forbids cross-dressing. God is clearly concerned with keeping things distinct and orderly and “according to its kind” much like He did in the creation narrative in Genesis 1. Second, holiness. Why does God demand Israel kill everything in the pagan cities they conquer? He’s concerned anyone or anything left over will become a problem for Israel. He’s concerned they will be tempted to worship other gods. He even says as much in Deuteronomy 20:18, “so that they won’t teach you to do all the detestable acts they do for their gods, and you sin against the Lord your God.” I know this sounds incredibly harsh and unyielding and unfair in our ears but God will not tolerate any rivals for our affections. He is serious about the sin of idolatry. And for those who might be tempted to dismiss the Old Testament God in favor of the New Testament God, please remember Jesus’ words about the final judgment. God will separate the believers from the unbelievers. Heaven and hell are eternal realities. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Reading this text today can also expose our natural bias. We typically come to the text with a “hermeneutic of suspicion.” Which is to say, we come to the text demanding that it prove itself to us. Prove it’s worth by giving us something to apply to our lives. We have this natural tendency to want to turn the text into a self-help manual. A roadmap to our “best life” now. We want the text to speak to our cultural moment. We want to rub the text like a lamp and treat God like a genie. Instead, texts like the one for today demand something from us. Demand that we take God seriously. Demand that we treat the text on its terms and not our own. It forces us out of our cultural arrogance and chronological snobbery as we come face to face with the holiness of God.

Does that mean there is nothing here for us to hold onto for hope? Not at all! We just have to keep digging. Keep praying. Keep seeking. Keep searching. Dig down deep enough below the surface regulations and what do we discover about God’s nature and character? He loves His people. Fiercely. Loyally. Stubbornly. He does not want to see them fall into temptation. Our God is a God of reconciliation and forgiveness even in situations where justice cannot be served because the murderer cannot be found. Our God is a God of mercy and compassion which is why He graciously welcomes those women captured in battle - who in ancient times were often treated brutally - as part of His people. He orders society for the good of all, protecting property and inheritance rights. He protects the poor from predatory lending and provides for them by allowing them to glean in the fields. He is concerned about the pain and suffering that comes from rampant sexual immorality so He places protections around the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. All of this is in the best interest of His chosen people.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 24-27

Generosity and Joy

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 16-19

The pursuit of happiness. It’s one of the “inalienable” rights granted to us by our Creator according to the Declaration of Independence. It’s one of the key values in our society. Everyone is looking for happiness. They look for it in a bottle, a bong, or an edible. They look for it in the gym, the salon, or the store. They look for it in travel, adventure, and challenge. They look for it from their doctor or therapist. Not all of these are bad, of course, but all of them do share a common thread. We think we can find true happiness by focusing on ourselves. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I love how the Book of Deuteronomy describes the annual sacred feasts of Israel. Yes, there is a lot of ceremony. A lot of sacrifice. A lot to remember. And it’s easy to get stuck in the weeds and miss the point of it all. “Rejoice before the Lord your God in the place where he chooses to have his name dwell you, your son and daughter, your male and female slave, the Levite within your city gates, as well as the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow among you…Rejoice during your festival you, your son and daughter, your male and female slave, as well as the Levite, the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow within your city gates.” (‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭16‬:‭11‬, ‭14‬ ‭CSB‬‬) These feasts were celebrations. They were filled with joy. And not just for the people of Israel but for everyone who lived in the Promised Land. They were intended to be huge parties where the name of the Lord was lifted up and all God had done for them proclaimed to every generation. I can only imagine being a “resident alien” and living in Israel at the time. Imagine seeing the people of God worship the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Imagine the expressions of joy as people danced and sang and feasted. It must have been so compelling.

And what made such feasting possible for everyone? Generosity. Every person giving generously from the heart. Every person offering back to the Lord from the bounty He had provided in the previous year. “You are to celebrate the Festival of Weeks to the Lord your God with a freewill offering  that you give in proportion to how the Lord your God has blessed you. Everyone must appear with a gift suited to his means, according to the blessing the Lord your God has given you.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭16‬:‭10‬, ‭17‬ ‭CSB‬‬) This was not a tithe. This was not a law. The people didn’t give out of a sense of obligation or guilt or shame. They gave a “freewill” offering. They gave from the heart. They gave in proportion to all God had given them. They gave to bless others. To bless the community. To bless everyone who lived within their midst, from the poorest of the poor to the richest of the rich. All were included. None were left out. Can you imagine it?

What could this look like today? As Christians, we don’t keep the Old Testament feasts. All the ceremonial laws governing worship were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. But that doesn’t mean the party ends! On the contrary, because of what Christ has done for us, every day is an opportunity to rejoice! Every week when we gather with God’s people, we have the opportunity to celebrate and share our joy with others! And when we give generously of our time and talent and treasure, everyone gets to share in the blessing. Everyone gets to celebrate what God has done. No one is left out. This is the life God has called us to as His church. A life of abundance and blessing and generosity and joy!

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 20-23

The End of Religion

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 12-15

One of my favorite theologians is a man named Karl Barth. A Swiss theologian in the 20th century, he was an influential voice in the Confession Church movement that resisted the Nazis in Europe and the author of the famous Barmen Declaration. Barth is most known for his relentlessly “Christocentric” theology. Everything was about Christ for him. He believed with all his heart that the fullness of God dwelt in Jesus which means Jesus reveals the fullness of God to us. Among his many famous sayings about Jesus, I particularly love the one where he calls Christ “the end of all religion” because “religion is understood as human striving toward God.” The essence of Christianity is not religion, it is relationship. It is God coming to be with us. God becoming one of us or as Barth himself put it, “God becoming what we are so we may be become what He is.” This is why God hates religion so much. He hates what it does to us. He hates how it diminishes us. He hates how it degrades us. He hates how it shames us. We were not made to be slaves of gods. We were not made to serve their whims no matter how capricious and arbitrary. We were not made to live in our lives in fear over their anger and rage. We were made for relationship. We were created as beloved children. We were shaped and fashioned after God’s own image so we could serve Him joyfully in the world He has made.

No wonder God tells His people to destroy the false gods and goddesses they encounter! “Destroy completely all the places where the nations that you are driving out worship their gods on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree. Tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn their Asherah poles, cut down the carved images of their gods, and wipe out their names from every place.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬) He is not being mean or lashing out in rage. He is seeking to protect His people from the dangers of false worship and false religion. He does not want them to fall prey to the paganism of the world around them. He is a jealous God. He will not allow them to turn their affections towards another. He will not share them with any other god because He knows how religion deforms and defaces and dehumanizes. And His love is jealous and fierce and loyal and true which is why He seeks to protect us even from ourselves.

The temptation to worship false gods remains. Our world is full of all kinds of religion. All of which God hates. Religion is the source of so much shame and so much fear and so much pain. It drives us crazy because it presents us with a goal that is forever out of reach. Strive as we might, we can never live up to religion’s ideals. We can never meet religion’s ethical and moral demands. We are always falling short. And this is why we need Christ. The end of all religion. The end of all human effort and striving. The end of all shame and fear. The end of all heartache and pain. What God offers us in Jesus Christ is an eternal relationship not another human religion. What God has done in Jesus Christ is bridge the divide between heaven and earth. The Word becomes flesh and blood and moves into our neighborhood. God becomes Emmanuel - God with us. God comes to us, full of grace and truth, to show us what it means to be truly human. Truly beloved. Truly accepted. Put aside your religion. Embrace a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Readings for tomorrow: No readings on Sundays

Keep

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 8-11

The best definition of discipleship that I’ve ever encountered comes from Eugene Peterson. A long-time Presbyterian pastor, he defines discipleship as a “long obedience in the same direction.” It’s the relentless, life-long pursuit of God that results in transformation. The most impactful people I’ve ever met in my life invest all of their time, energy, and resources in a single community over a period of decades. The spiritual legacy they leave behind is enormous and generational. And it’s how God designed His church to work.

“Keep in mind all God has done for you.” This is where Moses begins. He encourages the people of Israel to keep in mind all the miracles. All the signs. All the wonders. Everything God has done from the moment He began to deliver them from slavery in Egypt through their wilderness journey and now as they stand on the cusp of the Promised Land. Parting seas. Feeding them with manna. Making water come from a rock. Over and over again, they cried out to Him. Over and over again, He answered. Their clothing did not wear out. Their feet did not swell. For forty years they wandered and God was faithful to wander with them every step of the way.

“Keep all the commandments I have given you.” This is Moses second admonition. Keep the commandments of God. Obey the laws He has laid down. He knows better than you. He knows what it takes to make this life work. He knows what you need before you need it. He knows the kind of people He’s trying to create. He knows the character qualities that will lead to a flourishing life. This is why He gives us commands. He is giving us instructions on how to live the righteous life. A life that flourishes. A life God blesses. If they carefully follow all the commands, they will live and increase and take possession of the land God is giving them.

“God will keep you.” This is perhaps the most important lesson Moses wants Israel to learn. God is the faithful covenant-keeper. He will never leave them or forsake them. He will remain true to them through thick and thin. He will remain loyal to them though they will abandon Him. He will remain faithful to them though they will betray Him. He has made them a promise. A promise He intends to keep. A promise that can never be broken. A promise He will fulfill fully and completely in Jesus Christ. And what is true for Israel is true for us today. So keep in mind all God has done for you. Keep all the commandments He has given you. Keep faith with God and know He will keep faith with you.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 12-15

Mercy

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 4-7

Over the course of my life, I have been blessed to spend time with some truly great Christians. Men and women of profound spiritual depth who have exerted a shaping influence on the church and the world through their speaking, teaching, and writing. Their names are well-known. They’ve founded and led great ministries, churches, and organizations. Some of them have passed from this life. Others are still very much engaged in their work. And for reasons I still do not know or frankly understand, they have chosen to spend some of their valuable time with me. It’s deeply humbling to be on the receiving end of such mercy. It was not something I achieved. It was not something I earned. It was not the result of my hard work or effort. I simply lucked out. For whatever reason, they chose me.

I think of these experiences as I try to wrap my mind and heart around the words we read in our text for today. “For what great nation is there that has a god near to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? And what great nation has righteous statutes and ordinances like this entire law I set before you today?” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭CSB‬‬) It’s been decades since that first meeting between Moses and God at the burning bush. In that time, Moses has seen the most breathtaking miracles. He watched God take a rag-tag group of slaves and turn them into a nation. He watched God humble the greatest ruler of the greatest empire in the world. He bore witness to God’s love and mercy as He carried His people through the Red Sea and delivered them to the Promised Land. He grieved at the faithlessness of God’s people that caused them to wander in the wilderness under judgment for forty years. His life has been rich and full and blessed in so many ways. Perhaps the most marvelous thing of all is that Moses never loses his sense of awe over God’s mercy. Here he is at the end of his life and he still can’t get over the fact that among all the nations of the earth, God chose Israel. 

Not only did God choose Israel but God remains faithful to Israel. Despite her constant whining and complaining. Despite her hard hearts and stiff necks. Despite her many sins and acts of unfaithfulness. Despite the fact that God knows she will fail over and over again. He remains true. He lives up to His promises. “But from there, you will search for the Lord your God, and you will find him when you seek him with all your heart and all your soul.  When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, in the future you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. He will not leave you, destroy you, or forget the covenant with your ancestors that he swore to them by oath, because the Lord your God is a compassionate God.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭4‬:‭29‬-‭31‬ ‭CSB‬) God is so good. His mercies endure forever. His covenant love never fails. 

Why does God do all this? Is it for us? On some level yes. God has chosen us from before the foundations of the earth to be the object of His great love. But more than that, God has chosen us to be His instruments of mercy as well. His great desire is to use us to draw an unbelieving world to faith. God wants the whole world to look on us in wonder and awe just like Moses. To stand and stare in disbelief that the God of the universe would choose a people for Himself. Forge them through fire and trial and struggle and war into a people for His own possession. A chosen nation. A royal priesthood. Set apart to declare His glory to the world. “Indeed, ask about the earlier days that preceded you, from the day God created mankind  on the earth and from one end of the heavens to the other: Has anything like this great event ever happened, or has anything like it been heard of? Has a people heard God’s voice speaking from the fire as you have, and lived? Or has a god attempted to go and take a nation as his own out of another nation, by trials, signs, wonders, and war, by a strong hand and an outstretched arm, by great terrors, as the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭4‬:‭32‬-‭34‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Friends, there is no end to the mercy of God. If you seek Him, you will find Him. If you turn to Him, you will find His arms wide open. If you ask Him, He will come into your heart and into your life and you will be saved. 

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 8-11

Testimony

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 1-3

Moses was an amazing man. He’s right up there with Abraham and David. He’s one of the most important and influential biblical leaders for God’s people. He’s the deliverer. He’s the Law-giver. He’s the one who shapes and forms Israel from a bunch of former slaves into a nation. Moses’ life was broken down into three stages, each lasting around forty years. The first forty years, he was a prince in Egypt. He grew up in Pharaoh’s household. The adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He enjoyed a life of privilege and power. The second forty years, he lived as a shepherd in Midian. He fled Egypt after murdering a man in an attempt to incite an insurrection. He got married. He had kids. He built a life for himself. Things were good. Then God showed up in a burning bush and everything changed yet again. The final forty years of his life was filled with miracle after miracle as well as hardship after hardship. He went back to Egypt. He confronted Pharaoh. He called down plagues. He delivered God’s people. He led them through the Red Sea. He brought them to Mt. Sinai and gave them the Law. He led them through the wilderness to the Promised Land. He faced all kinds of rebellion. He fought wars. He survived death threats. He faced hunger and thirst. The burdens of leading God’s people were overwhelming. Finally, Moses died without experiencing the fulfillment of God’s promise.

Imagine you are Moses. 120 years old. Your eyesight has not dimmed. Your strength unabated. You’re standing on the border of the Promised Land. You know you are not allowed to go in. You have to say goodbye to the people you have led for decades. Men and women whom you have watched grow up and helped raise from birth. A generation who did not know Egypt. Did not walk through the waters of the Red Sea. Did not hear God’s voice at Mt. Sinai. What would you say to them as they prepare to take the next step in their journey without you? This is what the Book of Deuteronomy is all about. It is Moses’ final sermon to God’s people. It is his last will and testament. It is his final chance to encourage, challenge, confront, and comfort God’s people. Given one last chance to address those he loved, Moses points them to God. He points them to God’s faithfulness. Points them to God’s provision and protection. He wants them to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is with them and He is for them and He is going before them as they cross over into new territory under new leadership.

“The Lord your God who goes before you will fight for you, just as you saw him do for you in Egypt. And you saw in the wilderness how the Lord your God carried you as a man carries his son all along the way you traveled until you reached this place.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭1‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭CSB‬‬) 

“For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this immense wilderness. The Lord your God has been with you these past forty years, and you have lacked nothing.”(‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

“Today I will begin to put the fear and dread of you on the peoples everywhere under heaven. They will hear the report about you, tremble, and be in anguish because of you.”(Deuteronomy‬ ‭2‬:‭25‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

“Your own eyes have seen everything the Lord your God has done to these two kings. The Lord will do the same to all the kingdoms you are about to enter. Don’t be afraid of them, for the Lord your God fights for you.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭3‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Now consider your own life. Not many of us - or any of us - will live to be 120. However, in the years we are each given, where do we see God at work? What will our testimony be when our time comes to part from this world? What will we say to those we love and those we lead who will come after us? How can we point them to God?

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 4-7

Sing Your Song

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalms 64

As we finish the Book of Deuteronomy, we need to pause for a moment and reflect on the life of Moses. Miraculously saved at birth. Raised in the palace of Pharaoh. Exiled for murder. Bedouin shepherd. Husband. Father. Called late in life to save Israel. Prophet. Miracle-worker. Deliverer. Spiritual and political leader of a nation of wandering ex-slaves. His life, especially the last third, was marked uniquely by his close relationship with God. Now we are at the end. Now the people stand on the borders of the Promised Land. Now he’s on a mountain looking over at the fulfillment of all God has promised. Now is his last chance to share with his people all he has learned in his 120 years of walking with the Lord. 

So Moses sings them a song...

“Pay attention, heavens, and I will speak; listen, earth, to the words from my mouth. Let my teaching fall like rain and my word settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass and showers on tender plants. For I will proclaim the Lord’s name. Declare the greatness of our God! The Rock  — his work is perfect; all his ways are just. A faithful God, without bias, he is righteous and true.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭32‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬) For Moses, everything begins with God. God’s faithfulness. God’s steadfast love. God’s enduring grace. Without God, he is nothing. Without God, the people of Israel are nothing. Without God, they would still be slaves in Egypt. If God had abandoned them, they would have died in the wilderness. If Moses is going to sing about anything, it will be about the greatness of God.

“His people have acted corruptly toward him; this is their defect  — they are not his children but a devious and crooked generation. Is this how you repay the Lord, you foolish and senseless people? Isn’t he your Father and Creator? Didn’t he make you and sustain you? Remember the days of old; consider the years of past generations. Ask your father, and he will tell you, your elders, and they will teach you.”(Deuteronomy‬ ‭32‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Moses also sings of the people he has served. He boldly reminds them of the truth. They are sinners. They are broken. They are rebellious. They despised God. They abandoned God. They doubted God. They disobeyed God. He sings, eyes wide open to the reality of their condition. He pulls no punches. He’s not interested in sentimentality. This is his last chance to speak and he’s not going to waste words on empty flattery. 

“But the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob, his own inheritance. He found him in a desolate land, in a barren, howling wilderness; he surrounded him, cared for him, and protected him as the pupil of his eye. He watches over his nest like an eagle and hovers over his young; he spreads his wings, catches him, and carries him on his feathers. The Lord alone led him, with no help from a foreign god. He made him ride on the heights of the land and eat the produce of the field. He nourished him with honey from the rock and oil from flinty rock, curds from the herd and milk from the flock, with the fat of lambs, rams from Bashan, and goats, with the choicest grains of wheat; you drank wine from the finest grapes.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭32‬:‭9‬-‭14‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Moses shifts his focus back to God. It was God who first called Jacob. Found him in the wilderness. Loved him. Nursed him. Cared for him. Taught him how to walk. Taught him how to live. Guided him along the way. Always protecting. Always providing. 

“Then Jeshurun became fat and rebelled — you became fat, bloated, and gorged. He abandoned the God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation. They provoked his jealousy with different gods; they enraged him with detestable practices. They sacrificed to demons, not God, to gods they had not known, new gods that had just arrived, which your ancestors did not fear. You ignored the Rock who gave you birth; you forgot the God who gave birth to you.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭32‬:‭15‬-‭18‬ ‭CSB‬‬) What was the response of the people? Again, rebellion. As they grew strong and prosperous, they forgot God. They started going their own way. Doing their own thing. Forgetting God. Seeking to be their own gods. They repeated the sin of Adam and Eve. They fell for the original temptation of the evil one. They gave in, wanting to live like gods themselves. 

“When the Lord saw this, he despised them, angered by his sons and daughters. He said, “I will hide my face from them; I will see what will become of them, for they are a perverse generation — unfaithful children.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭32‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭CSB‬‬) So God judged them. Disciplined them in his wrath. He sought to purify and sanctify them through suffering. Through exile. Through wandering. Through defeat. He was faithful to remind them they held no power of their own. They had no strength of their own. All they had achieved had come via the mercies of God. He would not allow their illusions and self-deceptions to stand. 

“The Lord will indeed vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants when he sees that their strength is gone and no one is left — slave or free. See now that I alone am he; there is no God but me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal. No one can rescue anyone from my power. I raise my hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever, Rejoice, you nations, concerning his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants. He will take vengeance on his adversaries; he will purify his land and his people.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭32‬:‭36‬, ‭39‬-‭40‬, ‭43‬ ‭CSB)‬‬ It took God forty years to bring his people to their knees. But the long years of wandering were not in vain. Now they knew God. Now they saw God. Now they understood God. They submitted. They surrendered. They repented. And they were ready to enter the land He had promised. 

Friends, this isn’t just Moses’ story. It’s not just Israel’s story. It’s my story. It’s your story. And this begs a really important question...when the years grow short and your strength begins to fail and you’re surrounded by your family and those you love, what song will you sing? Will you sing of God and His great faithfulness? Will you sing of His mercies and kindness? Will you declare His glory and majesty? Will you make known His mighty works to the next generation? What song will you sing?

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 1-4, Psalms 65

The Blessing of Loving God

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 28-29, Psalms 62

Two things are required if you truly want to understand the Bible. First, you must read it as a cohesive whole. The sum is greater than the parts. It tells an integrated story that you cannot understand if you try to read one section apart from the others. Second, you must understand your self. You are not a blank slate. You introduce bias into the equation every time you open up the book to read. You are a product of your environment. Your worldview is shaped by your circumstances. As such, you have a filter that you run all that you are reading through and it can often lead to misunderstanding. 

Today’s reading is a classic example. If you try to read Deuteronomy 28 apart from the larger story God has been telling up to this point in time, you will completely miss the point. The point is not to obey God in order to gain the blessings. Our obedience is not a form of manipulation to get God to give us what we want. This is not a step by step process to health and wealth in this world. This is not a guarantee that life will always be easy or a way to avoid suffering. Unfortunately, far too many people read it that way. They flatten out the Scriptures. Dis-integrate this text from the larger context. Atomize the Bible into bits and pieces in order to support their own selfish desires. A lot of us in this group come to the text as Americans. We are raised on the premise that if one works hard, one can succeed. We define success in terms of money made, possessions acquired, health maintained, etc. We view suffering as the ultimate evil. Something to be avoided at all costs. So when we come to Deuteronomy 28, we see a text that naturally fits our worldview. It endorses the American Dream. It fits the American way of life like a glove. But then life happens. We experience failure. We get hurt. Our hearts get broken. We struggle through trials and temptation. And this leads us to doubt God. What happened to His promises? Why doesn’t He deliver? Is He not faithful? We would do better to examine our own false assumptions.

God is faithful. He has declared Himself to be good. He loves us with an everlasting love. His great desire, expressed in the first and greatest commandment, is that we would love Him in return. Love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. And if we make the love of God the great end of our lives, we will quite naturally follow His commands. We will find ourselves authentically seeking His ways. We will define our lives according to His terms. And the result will be blessing. Not in every single instance because that is not how life works but on balance, on the whole, we will find ourselves living in peace and contentment and the blessing of God. When a person who loves God in the way He deserves looks back over the course of their lives, they will see the life Deuteronomy 28 describes. Does that mean you will live in a large house? Drive a fancy car? Live off a flush 401k? Does it mean your marriage will never struggle? Your kids never suffer? Your relationships will never break? Of course not. In this world you will face trials. In this world you will suffer temptation. In this world you will experience brokenness. But those who love God with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength overcome the world. They see their trials in light of the eternal glory God is revealing in and through them. And it is more than enough. 

Friends, there is no greater freedom than living wholly and completely for God. There is no greater joy in this life or in this world than giving all you have to God. There is no greater peace than trusting God to meet every need according to His wisdom and the riches of His grace. There is no greater love than laying down our lives for the cause of Christ. All that you desire is within your grasp. All you need to do is deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Jesus. The way to true fulfillment in this life is the way of total relinquishment.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 30-31, Psalms 63 (No devotionals on Sunday)

Remember you were a slave…

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 24-27, Psalms 61

I have often wondered how much would change if every single Christian would simply remember who they once were. Dead in our sin. Lost and without hope. Living in the deepest darkness imaginable. Blind. Deaf. Our hearts hardened to the will of God. Enslaved by the enemy. We had nothing and yet God gave us everything. We were worthless and yet God declared us worthy. We were ugly and broken and yet God saw beauty and made us whole. We were rebellious and God showed us grace. We were resistant and God embraced us. We were at war with God and still He made peace. God delivered us. God rescued us. God showed mercy on us. God loved us when we were at our most unlovable. Imagine if we could began each day reminding ourselves how far we’ve come? How far God has brought us? Imagine if we would approach every conversation and every interaction and every relationship with godly humility, knowing each moment we’ve been given in this life is far more than we deserve? Wouldn’t that change things? Now multiply that by the number of Christians around the world. Almost three billion by last count. Don’t you think it would have a global impact?

This is why I love reading through these sections of Deuteronomy. Though the laws are often confusing to me as a 21st century Christian, the rationale behind them is not. “Remember that you were a slave in Egypt…” Remember your hopeless and helpless condition. Remember how poor and powerless you once were before I saved you. Let your memory of those days humble you as you enter the Promised Land. Let it stir in your heart a deep compassion for those who are less fortunate. The widow. The orphan. The poor. The foreigner. May you treat them with the same grace and mercy with which I treated you. May you love them the way I loved you. May you provide for them just as I have provided for you. It’s why Moses challenges the people of God to rehearse their “origin story” over and over again…“You are to respond by saying in the presence of the Lord your God: My father was a wandering Aramean. He went down to Egypt with a few people and resided there as an alien. There he became a great, powerful, and populous nation. But the Egyptians mistreated and oppressed us, and forced us to do hard labor. So we called out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our cry and saw our misery, hardship, and oppression. Then the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, with terrifying power, and with signs and wonders. He led us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. I have now brought the first of the land’s produce that you, Lord, have given me.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭26‬:‭5‬-‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

What’s your origin story? How did you first come to saving faith? Have you ever taken time to step back and reflect on all the blessings God has given you in your life that you had nothing to do with? Did nothing to earn? Where you were born? The opportunities that came your way? The resources you had access to? Do you remember when you first became aware of God’s saving grace? First embraced His unconditional love? Do you understand the depths of your “lostness” without Jesus Christ? Do you see your sin as serious enough to put Him on a cross? Only as we come to grips with the utter poverty of our sinful condition can we appreciate the glory and joy and delight in all God has done for us. And as we experience all the blessings of God’s presence in our lives, we are then called to extend that same blessing out to others.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 28-29, Psalms 62

Cultural Distance and Difference

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 21-23, Psalms 60

It’s hard to read the chapters assigned for today. They typically elicit confusion, frustration, and even anger at the way women and rebellious children are treated not to mention the laws governing sexuality. This is where the cultural distance between us and the ancient Israelites becomes most obvious. We don’t have the same frame of understanding as they did in their day and so struggle to understand why God would allow such laws to exist. Furthermore, we have significant issues with some of these laws, considering them unjust to the core. So why does God command Israel to follow them? What’s He after here?

The dominant cultural paradigm in the ancient near east - as well as the modern Middle East - is honor/shame. What this means is that the primary purpose of the law is not to determine innocence or guilt but to protect the honor of the family/clan/community/nation. This is why there is a premium placed on ritual purity because the greatest honor for a nation would be for their god to come and dwell with them. This is why we read the phrase, “you must purge the evil/guilt from your midst” over and over again. God wants to dwell with His people. God wants to walk with them as He once did with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God wants an unbroken relationship with them which means they must pay particular attention to maintaining standards of cleanliness. “For the Lord your God walks throughout your camp to protect you and deliver your enemies to you; so your encampments must be holy. He must not see anything indecent among you or he will turn away from you.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭23‬:‭14‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Why would God turn away? He turns away from the shame of our sin. The shame of our indecency. The shame of our behavior. All the laws listed in these chapters have to do in some way with honor and shame with the hope that Israel will hear and obey and thereby create an environment where God Himself can be present. By the way, the honor/shame dynamic is still very much a reality to this day in Israel and throughout the Middle East.

So what can we learn from these chapters? What’s our takeaway? Especially since we live in a culture far removed and far different? The dominant cultural paradigm in the United States is innocence/guilt. The primary purpose of our laws is to determine who is guilty and who goes free. We are far more concerned with right or wrong than we are with ritual purity. And we seemingly have no desire to “purge the evil from our midst” as long as it doesn’t “hurt anyone.” Our goal is not to have God walk with us or dwell with us, we’re doing just fine on our own. We actually prefer Him to keep His distance if we’re honest. Despite our sin, God still pursues us. He wants to have a relationship with us. And that’s why He sent His only begotten Son to “hang on a tree” and become the “curse” for us. “If anyone is found guilty of an offense deserving the death penalty and is executed, and you hang his body on a tree, you are not to leave his corpse on the tree overnight but are to bury him that day, for anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not defile the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭21‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭CSB‬‬) On the cross, Jesus took our shame and gave us His honor. He took on our guilt and declared us innocent. He became sin - who knew no sin - that we might become the righteousness of God.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 24-27, Psalms 61

Character is Essential

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 17-20, Psalms 59

The most important quality a person can possess is strong, godly character. But godly character does not form overnight. It’s not something we stumble into. It’s doesn’t happen by random chance. It requires development. A long obedience in the same direction. An intense focus every single day of our lives. The more influence and power a person has, the more important and impactful their character becomes. Those who lack godly character drag down those around them. Those who’ve taken the time to develop godly character lift everyone up. Everyone feels it from family to friends to neighbors to colleagues. Everyone knows it when they experience it.

This is why God sets the expectation that the most important practice a king or ruler can engage in is daily meditation on His Word. Listen to the directions God gives kings from the book of Deuteronomy again, “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, take possession of it, live in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations around me,’ you are to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses. Appoint a king from your brothers. You are not to set a foreigner over you, or one who is not of your people. However, he must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire many horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’ He must not acquire many wives for himself so that his heart won’t go astray. He must not acquire very large amounts of silver and gold for himself. When he is seated on his royal throne, he is to write a copy of this instruction for himself on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to observe all the words of this instruction, and to do these statutes. Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, he will not turn from this command to the right or the left, and he and his sons will continue reigning many years in Israel.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭17‬:‭14‬-‭20‬ ‭CSB‬‬) What is the most important quality for a king? It’s not the accumulation of wealth or power or influence, it’s the cultivation of godly character. Each king is to make a personal copy of God’s law that he will then read and reflect on every single day of his life. The goal is for him to learn to fear the Lord and obey His commands so he might remain humble and rule his people with righteousness. And we see this happen in Israel’s history. The good kings exhibited a godly character while the evil kings lacked this important quality.

What about us? What about our leaders? What do we look for in the people who lead us politically, socially, economically, even ecclesiastically? What are the most important qualities we look for in a president or member of Congress? A governor or mayor or town council member? A leader in business or education? A pastor or other church leader? Is it godliness? Or is it power? Authority? Popularity? Influence? Wealth? Success? Tragically, we tend to look for anything but godliness in our leaders today. It’s why we find ourselves in the mess we’re in. We look for leaders who will tear down others, attack our “enemies”, channel our outrage, prey upon our fears, and tell us lies we will believe. Sure, we can try to blame them but here’s the honest, if hard, truth. They are simply a reflection of us. Their lack of character is a reflection of our own lack of character. We don’t elect or vote for godly leaders because we lack godly character ourselves. And therein lies the fundamental problem in our world. In a democratic society, we get the leadership we deserve. Our system is perfectly designed - from top to bottom - to produce the kind of leadership we are getting right now. And if there is ever to be any hope for a change, it must begin with the people of God making the commitment to develop the character of God above all else.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 21-23, Psalms 60

What is God doing about Poverty?

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 15-16, Psalms 58

What is God doing about poverty? I get that question all the time. I get it here at home when people serve at the Denver Rescue Mission or with Open Door Ministries in downtown Denver. I get it overseas when people see the starvation and life-threatening poverty so many in our world are living in. Without a doubt, poverty is a very real issue in our world today. Despite major advances in the global war on poverty - and the progress has been miraculous when one considers the over 1 billion people who have been lifted out of extreme poverty since 1990 - the struggle remains. Furthermore, this issue is complicated by how we define “poverty.” There are some objective measures defined by the World Bank and others. Extreme poverty is defined as living on less than $1.90/day. Moderate poverty is less than $3.10/day. But then there is this idea of “relative poverty” which measures the economic distance of an individual from a certain percentage of the median household income in a particular community. Our response to the problem of poverty will depend to some extent on which definition we are working from and this, in turn, will shape how we understand our reading from the Bible today. 

In my travels around the world, I have personally witnessed extreme, life-threatening poverty. I have seen what this form of poverty does to a person. Physical bodies waste away from hunger. Lifeless eyes stare into the distance. Mothers beg me to take their newborn children. Men and women get high on khat to try to find some kind of escape. I have seen the effects of extreme drought and famine. I have seen what happens when crops fail or the rains don’t come. I have seen the graves of those who’ve perished in the violence that often ensues when resources become scarce. And though I acknowledge the truth of Jesus’ words, “you will always have the poor with you”, it doesn’t mean I like it or accept it. So what is God doing about poverty?

Thankfully, we know God cares deeply for the poor. We see His tender love and care on display in our readings from today. “There will be no poor among you, however, because the Lord is certain to bless you in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance  —  if only you obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow every one of these commands I am giving you today. When the Lord your God blesses you as he has promised you, you will lend to many nations but not borrow; you will rule many nations, but they will not rule you.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬) The plain meaning of the text seems clear. If God’s people will obey God’s voice, contribute their tithes and offerings as commanded by the Law, and give generously to the foreigner, orphan and widow in their midst then the problem of “absolute poverty” disappears. However, it will be a continual process. A continual test the Lord will put before them according to Deuteronomy 15:11 (CSB), “For there will never cease to be poor people in the land; that is why I am commanding you, ‘Open your hand willingly to your poor and needy brother in your land.” Each generation will have the opportunity to “be their brother’s or sister’s keeper” and provide the less fortunate in their midst.

Human society is unequal by definition. People are not all given the same gifts and talents. People are not all given the same opportunities. People are not given the same resources. Furthermore, there are forces beyond our control that make a huge impact on our economy. Natural disasters. Wars. Death. Disease. Famine. Drought. Availability of natural resources. All exact a toll. Throw in the fact that some human beings simply work harder and smarter than others and the gap between rich and poor only seems to grow. 

God recognizes this very “human” trend which is why He demands generosity from His people. We who are blessed must in turn bless others. For our blessing did not come from ourselves but from God. He commands Israel to always remember their time as slaves in Egypt. To remain humble and compassionate towards those who have experienced economic hardship and therefore sold themselves into slavery to pay off their debts. When the Sabbatical Year comes (every seven years), they are to release their slaves, forgive their debts, and help them get started in their new life. “If your fellow Hebrew, a man or woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, you must set him free in the seventh year. When you set him free, do not send him away empty-handed. Give generously to him from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. You are to give him whatever the Lord your God has blessed you with. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this command today.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭15‬:‭12‬-‭15‬ ‭CSB‬‬) The Sabbatical Year serves almost as an economic “reset” as the wealth of the nation - which God has provided - is redistributed in a way that closes the gap between rich and poor. This effectively addresses the “relative poverty” of the country and provides hope and opportunity for those who wouldn’t otherwise have it. 

It’s an open question how often Israel actually kept the Sabbatical Year or what practical application it could have in today’s global economy. But the principle remains. If we live our lives with the understanding that all we have has been given to us by God. All our wealth. All our talent. All our opportunities. Then it becomes a lot easier to live generously. To provide for others. To sacrifice our own lifestyles so that we might relieve the burden of poverty for those around us, whether they live next door or on the other side of the globe. 

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 17-20, Psalms 59

Tithing

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 13-14, Psalms 57

When I first became a Christian, I was taught to give a tithe to the Lord. One tenth of all I made belonged to Him. Give it to the church. Give it to different ministries. Support missionaries. It didn’t matter so much who you gave it to as long as it furthered God’s Kingdom causes. My wife and I have never wavered in our commitment to give at least ten percent of our income to the Lord but when you read the Old Testament, you find out really quickly that “tithing” involves more than simply giving ten percent away.

Yes, the ancient Israelites were commanded to give ten percent to the priests each year. Since the priests were dedicated to the service of God, they needed the proceeds from the annual tithe to live on. However, it is clear from our reading today that the Lord commanded the Israelites to set aside a second tithe. This second tithe provided the food and drink for them to eat when they traveled to Jerusalem for the annual festivals. If they were close to Jerusalem, they would bring their food with them. If they were far from Jerusalem, they would convert it to cash and buy what they needed when they arrived. Then the Lord commands a third tithe. This one was to be given every three years and it was for the poor, the fatherless, and the widow. In other words, this was the welfare system of ancient Israel. So if you do the math, the practice of “tithing” actually ends up being 23% a year!

So what principles should guide the Christian as they give? After all, priests and pastors make salaries. We don’t have to leave our work in order to travel multiple times a year for annual festivals in Jerusalem. And our government provides a social safety net to take care of the poor in our midst. Does this mean we are off the hook? Not at all. Over and above the required tithes, the ancient Israelites also brought “freewill offerings” to the Lord. They would give above and beyond their ancient taxation system in order to further God’s work in the world. And the New Testament calls us to do the same. The Apostle Paul - raised in the ancient taxation system of ancient Israel as a former Pharisee - writes these words to the Corinthian church, “The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart — not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver…You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬-‭7‬, ‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Essentially he’s talking about the principles guiding freewill offerings.

Frankly, I think the tithe is too low a standard. If the ancient Israelites - who were largely poor, agrarian farmers - gave generously above and beyond the required tithes, should not we - who live in one of the wealthiest nations in human history - do the same? It’s why my wife and I have committed to growing our giving with each passing year. And here’s what we’ve learned. The more we give, the more God entrusts into our hands. We simply cannot outgive God! He enriches us in every way so we can be even more generous. It’s truly amazing and one of the most concrete ways we experience His miracles on a regular basis.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 15-16, Psalms 58

God’s Treasured Possession

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 7-9, Psalms 55

One of the things I love most about God is His great faithfulness. God always delivers on His promises. God always keeps His Word. God will never abandon His people. Deuteronomy is Moses’ last sermon to Israel. He has led these people for decades. They’ve seen incredible miracles. They’ve experienced hardship and suffering. Now they stand on the cusp of the Promised Land. They can look over the Jordan River and see the land God has given them. But they also know the land isn’t empty. There are rival nations already living there. Pagan tribes who engage in all kinds of detestable worship practices. Driving them out will not be easy. It will require a long season of sustained warfare that will test their faith in God. 

So Moses reminds them of all God has done. Reminds them of why they were chosen in the first place. I love his words. “For you are a holy people belonging to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be his own possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth. “The Lord had his heart set on you and chose you, not because you were more numerous than all peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors, he brought you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from the place of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps his gracious covenant loyalty for a thousand generations with those who love him and keep his commands.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭7‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬‬) God tends to stand on the side of the weak. The oppressed. The enslaved. He takes the side of the poor, the outcast, the sinner. He did not choose Egypt or Assyria or Babylon or any of the other far more powerful Ancient Near East empires. He chose Israel. He was faithful to the oath He swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He refused to abandon His people to a life of slavery and death. 

God is faithful. He keeps the covenant. He is steadfast in His love. He is the guarantor of our relationship. Why can we count on God? Why can we trust God? Why can we believe God? Because He is faithful. To Himself. Faithful to His own character and nature. God never changes. He is who He says He is. That is why His name is “I am who I am.” Friends, no matter where life finds you today, God is faithful. He is with you. He will never leave you or forsake you for He is faithful.  

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 10-12, Psalms 56 (No devotionals on Sundays)

The Purpose of the Law

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 4-6, Psalms 54

Why does God give His people the Old Testament law? For centuries, people assumed it was a kind of roadmap to salvation. Follow the rules. Earn God’s favor. Become righteous through your works. God will let you into heaven. I know that’s a fairly simplistic reading but it largely holds true especially for those in the Protestant branch of the church. Martin Luther, as he processed his own existential angst, projected onto the biblical text his own flawed perspective of the Jewish understanding of the law and it tragically stuck. Thankfully, in the 1970’s, a New Testament scholar by the name of E.P. Sanders finally took the Jewish identity of Jesus and the rest of the apostles seriously. He grounded them in their Jewish context and challenged the traditional interpretation of “Jewish legalism” and instead coined a new term to describe the relationship of God’s people with God’s law. The term was “covenantal nomism” and it is the argument that the first century Jews didn’t believe in “works righteousness” rather they understood their obedience to the law flowed from a prior covenantal relationship initiated and established by God. In this way, it is very similar to how we understand the nature of grace and law in Christianity.

Covenantal nomism revolutionized New Testament scholarship because once you understand it, you see it all over the place. Consider these words from our reading today. “Carefully follow (the law), for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the peoples. When they hear about all these statutes, they will say, ‘This great nation is indeed a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god near to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? And what great nation has righteous statutes and ordinances like this entire law I set before you today?” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭CSB‬‬) The emphasis here is not on following the law to earn God’s love and favor but on following the law to show the world the people of Israel already enjoy God’s love and favor. Moses continues, “But the Lord selected you and brought you out of Egypt’s iron furnace to be a people for his inheritance, as you are today…He will not leave you, destroy you, or forget the covenant with your ancestors that he swore to them by oath, because the Lord your God is a compassionate God…You were shown these things so that you would know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him. He let you hear his voice from heaven to instruct you. He showed you his great fire on earth, and you heard his words from the fire. Because he loved your ancestors, he chose their descendants after them and brought you out of Egypt by his presence and great power, to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you in and give you their land as an inheritance, as is now taking place.” (‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭4‬:‭20‬, ‭31‬, ‭35‬-‭38‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Over and over again, he is emphasizing the covenantal relationship God has established with His people as the inspiration and motivation for their obedience.

God’s love and grace and mercy always precede the law. Relationship always takes precedence over rules. Even the Ten Commandments begin with the statement, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬) We obey because we are loved, we don’t obey in order to be loved. We obey because we’ve received God’s grace, we don’t obey because we need to earn God’s grace. We obey because God has shown us mercy, we don’t obey in order to gain God’s mercy. Our obedience is simply the outward, tangible, concrete sign our hearts have been transformed by saving faith through our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 7-9, Psalms 55

Generational Handoff

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 1-3, Psalms 53

One of the real challenges for every generation is to hand off leadership. It’s hard to give up power, influence, and control. It’s hard to come to grips with failing strength and mental decline. It’s hard to face our own mortality so we tend to hold on as long as we can. We see it in politics where leaders remain in office as long as possible, sometimes even until they die. We see it in business as founders of companies struggle to let go and let someone else take their place. We see it in the church as pastors can’t seem to give up the pulpit. The examples across every sector of society are legion right now. So many of us struggle to follow the model John the Baptist set for us in John 3:30, “He must increase, so I must decrease.”

If it’s any consolation, Moses struggled with this issue as well. Over and over again, he pleaded with God to let him lead the people into the Promised Land. Finally, God got angry with Moses and told him to not speak about it again and instead hand his leadership over to Joshua, one of the two faithful spies who had given a good report when first sent into the land. “The Lord said to me, ‘That’s enough! Do not speak to me again about this matter. Go to the top of Pisgah and look to the west, north, south, and east, and see it with your own eyes, for you will not cross the Jordan. But commission Joshua and encourage and strengthen him, for he will cross over ahead of the people and enable them to inherit this land that you will see.’” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭3‬:‭26-‭28‬ ‭CSB‬‬) If Moses, the most humble man to ever live according to the Bible, struggled to let go, is it any wonder we do as well?

Raising up the next generation of leaders for God’s people is essential to any healthy organization but especially the church. As has been said, the church is always one generation away from extinction. Pouring into those who are coming behind us is critical if the church is going to continue to fulfill her mission. As believers in Jesus Christ, we must take seriously the call to set future generations up for success. How do we do that? Through intentional mentoring and discipleship. Older believers taking the time and making the time for younger believers. Younger believers humbly seeking the wisdom of their elders. Each generation seeking to lift up and learn from the other. It’s not easy. All of us are busy. All of us are running hard. All of us have other things we’d perhaps rather do. But is there any greater investment we can make? Think of the ripple effect we can have if we will take the time to come alongside those who are younger than us and help them learn from our experience. Think of the impact we can make on marriages and families as we pour ourselves out for those who are coming behind us. Think of the energy and excitement we will feel as we watch them rise up and take their place. Think of the joy we will have as we see them achieve great success. This is the same joy John the Baptist felt when He saw Jesus coming after him. It’s the same joy Moses felt when he raised up Joshua to take his place. Friends, this is the joy God wants us to experience as well.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 4-6, Psalms 54

Learning to Sing Your Song

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 31-34

As we finish the Book of Deuteronomy, we need to pause for a moment and reflect on the life of Moses. Miraculously saved at birth. Raised in the palace of Pharaoh. Exiled for murder. Bedouin shepherd. Husband. Father. Called late in life to save Israel. Prophet. Miracle-worker. Deliverer. Spiritual and political leader of a nation of wandering ex-slaves. His life, especially the last third, was marked uniquely by his close relationship with God. Now we are at the end. Now the people stand on the borders of the Promised Land. Now he’s on a mountain looking over at the fulfillment of all God has promised. Now is his last chance to share with his people all he has learned in his 120 years of walking with the Lord. So Moses sings them a song...(Deut. 32:1-43 MSG)

“Listen, Heavens, I have something to tell you. Attention, Earth, I’ve got a mouth full of words. My teaching, let it fall like a gentle rain, my words arrive like morning dew, Like a sprinkling rain on new grass, like spring showers on the garden. For it’s God’s Name I’m preaching— respond to the greatness of our God! The Rock: His works are perfect, and the way he works is fair and just; A God you can depend upon, no exceptions, a straight-arrow God…” For Moses, everything begins with God. God’s faithfulness. God’s steadfast love. God’s enduring grace. Without God, he is nothing. Without God, the people of Israel are nothing. Without God, they would still be slaves in Egypt. If God had abandoned them, they would have died in the wilderness. If Moses is going to sing about anything, it will be about the greatness of God! The glory of God! The majesty of God!

“His messed-up, mixed-up children, his non-children, throw mud at him but none of it sticks. Don’t you realize it is God you are treating like this? This is crazy; don’t you have any sense of reverence? Isn’t this your father who created you, who made you and gave you a place on Earth? Read up on what happened before you were born; dig into the past, understand your roots. Ask your parents what it was like before you were born; ask the old-ones, they’ll tell you a thing or two.” Moses also sings of the people he has served. He boldly reminds them of the truth. They are sinners. They are broken. They are rebellious. They despised God. They abandoned God. They doubted God. They disobeyed God. He sings, eyes wide open to the reality of their condition. He pulls no punches. He’s not interested in sentimentality. This is his last chance to speak and he’s not going to waste words on empty flattery. 

“When the High God gave the nations their stake, gave them their place on Earth, He put each of the peoples within boundaries under the care of divine guardians. But God himself took charge of his people, took Jacob on as his personal concern. He found him out in the wilderness, in an empty, windswept wasteland. He threw his arms around him, lavished attention on him, guarding him as the apple of his eye. He was like an eagle hovering over its nest, overshadowing its young, Then spreading its wings, lifting them into the air, teaching them to fly. God alone led him; there was not a foreign god in sight. God lifted him onto the hilltops, so he could feast on the crops in the fields. He fed him honey from the rock, oil from granite crags, Curds of cattle and the milk of sheep, the choice cuts of lambs and goats, Fine Bashan rams, high-quality wheat, and the blood of grapes: you drank good wine!” Moses takes them back to God. It was God who first called Jacob. Found him in the wilderness. Loved him. Nursed him. Cared for him. Taught him how to walk. Taught him how to live. Guided him along the way. Always protecting. Always providing. 

“Jeshurun put on weight and bucked; you got fat, became obese, a tub of lard. He abandoned the God who made him, he mocked the Rock of his salvation. They made him jealous with their foreign trendy gods, and with obscenities they vexed him no end. They sacrificed to no-god demons, gods they knew nothing about, The latest in gods, fresh from the market, gods your ancestors would never call “gods.” You walked out on the Rock who gave you your life, forgot the birth-God who brought you into the world.” What was the response of the people? Again, rebellion. As they grew strong and prosperous, they forgot God. They started going their own way. Doing their own thing. Forgetting God. Seeking to be their own gods. They repeated the sin of Adam and Eve. They fell for the original temptation of the evil one. They gave in, wanting to live like gods themselves. 

“God saw it and spun around, angered and hurt by his sons and daughters. He said, “From now on I’m looking the other way. Wait and see what happens to them…” God judged them. Disciplined them in his wrath. He sought to purify and sanctify them through suffering. Through exile. Through wandering. Through defeat. He was faithful to remind them they held no power of their own. They had no strength of their own. All they had achieved had come via the mercies of God. He would not allow their illusions and self-deceptions to stand. 

“Yes, God will judge his people, but oh how compassionately he’ll do it. When he sees their weakened plight and there is no one left, slave or free…He’ll say, “Do you see it now? Do you see that I’m the one? Do you see that there’s no other god beside me? I bring death and I give life, I wound and I heal— there is no getting away from or around me! I raise my hand in solemn oath; I say, ‘I’m always around. By that very life I promise…Celebrate, nations, join the praise of his people. He avenges the deaths of his servants, Pays back his enemies with vengeance, and cleanses his land for his people.” It took God forty years to bring his people to their knees. But the long years of wandering were not in vain. Now they knew God. Now they saw God. Now they understood God. They submitted. They surrendered. They repented. And they were ready to enter the land He had promised. 

Friends, this isn’t just Moses’ story. It’s not just Israel’s story. It’s my story. It’s your story. And this begs a really important question...when the years grow short and your strength begins to fail and you’re surrounded by your family and those you love, what song will you sing? Will you sing of God and His great faithfulness? Will you sing of His mercies and kindness? Will you declare His glory and majesty? Will you make known His mighty works to the next generation? What song will you sing?

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 1-2, Psalm 105