December 28, 2022

Passage Read: Deuteronomy 28-31
Meditation Verse: 31:27

Thought

Moses knows how rebellious the Israelites have been, and he knows they will continue to be rebellious. If they have rebelled in his presence, how much more will they rebel in his absence. What a discouraging thing to say! What a discouraging thing to think! What a discouraging thing to know! It's like his whole life and mission is a failure. Sure, he got them to the promised land, but he had to wrestle with the Lord to do it--not because the Lord was wrong, but because He was right! He knows after he departs that they will fail to walk in the ways of the Lord; they will not faithfully love the Lord, but will turn away after other gods, and the Lord will have to discipline them, nearly destroy them. What lousy news! What a horrible end to a man's life!

Application

Yet Moses remained faithful to the end. I would want to give up and abandon these people. What's the point of staying with them? Well, there would be bright spots when they did mostly follow and fear the Lord. There would be those who did truly love the Lord and live for Him. None of that would happen if Moses or the Lord truly gave up on them. It seems history continually repeats itself. To look at the whole is discouraging, but must be done. To look for the bright spots, the ones who get it, that is some of the only encouragement along the way, and they must be seen and held on to. And of course, the highest encouragement is just to serve the Lord faithfully. How can I do otherwise? I need to be close with Him, stay close with Him, that He can keep me encouraged to keep serving Him.