I love the book of Deuteronomy. I guess a bit of a strange choice, but I found myself recently wandering through those chapters again. At least I started out thinking I was wandering. But really I was looking for God’s presence. Not that He moved … but I seem to have … wandered.
To be clear what that is and if I used the word correctly, I hit the dictionary and found these definitions:
Wander: to move about without a fixed course, aim, or goal.
To go idly about
Wandering: characterized by aimless, slow, or pointless movement
Yep that’s what life has felt like for me lately. But I was in Deuteronomy not by wandering, but by seeking to stop. And there I met again -wanderers like me. God’s holy nation of Israel that He loved, pursued, provided for, and set apart for good things.
When I was a young Christian, I would read about Israel and think, “Why aren’t they paying attention? How dumb can they be that after all God has done for them and shown them, they still turn away?” My goodness, He gave them miracle after miracle, written instructions, and Moses.
But now at the age of gray hair and grown children and grandchildren, I unfortunately see myself in those baby faith Israelites. I wander. So, I need to hear those words the Lord spoke to His people:
“If My people who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
I need to pray like Moses. Because after only forty days of being on their own, the Israelites had already forsaken the Lord and the nation stood in danger of complete destruction. But Moses prayed for the people and God listened. He stayed His hand and gave them another chance.
And the story continues with clarity throughout the Word of God. People wander. God stays steady. People sin, all of us. Those who call upon the Lord and confess and turn around are saved and given a path of purpose. Not by our righteousness, we just don’t have it. But God knows our temptations, anger, misguided doctrines, sins. He put in place the perfect plan of Jesus, His Son to sacrifice His life on our behalf. The Holy Spirit in our hearts to comfort and guide us.
Wandering through an antique store might be fun for a hour. But I don’t want to wander in life. So … Deuteronomy it is!!
Love, Bev