SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 1
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
“When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” [Matthew 28:17-20]
In Deuteronomy 1 and Matthew 28, a crossroads is described.
Moses is recalling what happened before, while Jesus is looking ahead to what was about to happen.
In both stories we see doubt, we hear the command to go, and the assurance of the Lord’s presence for success.
In both stories the followers need faith, courage, and confidence in the Lord.
We may shake our heads at the foolish Israelites, but are we any wiser in our response to Jesus’ call to go and make disciples of all nations?
Do we hold back when the Lord says go? Do we run ahead of the Lord, relying on our own strength?
Do we wander in the desert of life, missing out on the great blessing the Lord has in mind for us, because of fear or doubt?
The disciples had much more reason for fear and doubt- they were few in numbers, Jesus was leaving, and the power of Rome and the Jewish religious establishment was against them.
They were mocked, harassed, imprisoned, persecuted, killed. Yet they went forward with boldness.
Even under attack, they did not pray for protection, but for more boldness [Acts 4:23-31].
And the Spirit gave it to them.
Are we any less rebellious or cowardly than the people of Israel?
Or do we foolishly try to fulfill the Lord’s mission on our own, without His help, relying on our own smarts and numbers and personality and programs, etc.
Like Israel, we will miss out on what the Lord has in mind for us if we hold back.
We will not experience the miraculous power of the Spirit at work in and through us.
These two passages place us at a crossroads.
Will we hold back in fear, or move forward in faith?
Will we be content to ‘survive’ in our own strength, or will we thrive in His strength?
PRAYER:
Lord, enable Your servant to speak Your word with great boldness. Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the Name of Your holy servant Jesus.
The reading is a review of Israel’s past. What has the Lord our god done for us in past days? Where is the Lord God in our today?
God had been leading His people by the fire and the cloud. God had told His people, ‘I will give you this land.’ But the people did not trust the Lord their God but only in themselves. They lacked GodPower. FaithPower. Even though God had provided all they needed, even though God had shown them His power, they did not trust Him. He had shown them where to go but the people trusted in their own power instead.
And so today, where have I seen GodPower? What has the Lord God done in my life? Do I see His presence each and every day or do I also rely upon my own strength. God gives His people strength if we but trust and obey. There’s no other way but to walk with Jesus each and every day. I must walk in His SonShine and He will illuminate my path. I must be SpiritLead, SpiritDriven each and every day for He is my Guardian and Guide today and forever.
Once again, I go forward and walk with my risen Saviour.
A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
Our helper he, amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our strength confide,
our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabbaoth, His Name,
from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
his truth to triumph through us:
the Prince of Darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure,
one little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
through Him Who with us sideth:
Let good and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still,
his kingdom is forever.