I stood in this Jordan River where the Israelites walked 40 years to stand right here.
Just like all our wanderings, God is in this for them. For me. For you.
Here is the wrap-up story of 40 years in a wilderness led by a pillar of cloud and fire. They were constantly upbraided and removed. One commentary says that truly it is the same of our lives. We are moved from one wilderness to another all the time. What God does with each one of us is the best way and may we learn better to define what is truly good. God did much for these wandering children who were all 19 and under and spent their adult lives in a desert. God has kept them to this day under His Divine Providence. Can we see the Providential Hand of God in our wilderness? It was not so for the older families of the 19 and under and 603,458 are left for dead in their deserts. Our God is always doing us good, no matter what the circumstance. If we look with contempt, isn't that our own ingratitude? It is the Kindness of our God that leads us to repentance, Romans 2:4. Our wanderings will one day end. And as Boenhoeffer says, there is no more important moment than this present one. The Gospel calls us. My friend, who wrote a book as if that gives her credibility, says that there are parts of all of our hearts that do not know the Gospel. In one commentary, Matthew Henry wrote about these verses: "Let sinners seize the opportunity, and flee for refuge to the Hope set before them. Let us redeem our time, to glorify God, and serve our generation. And He will carry us safely through all, to His Eternal Kingdom." Amen and Amen.
So pass over this Jordan River where you will again face temptation to follow idols and occupy all of it. Take out the Canaanites. Numbers 33:52-53. Don't learn their wicked ways. May we read and fear the God we love and adore. "If we do not drive out sin, sin will drive us out. If we are not the death of our lusts, our lusts will be the death of our souls." Matthew Henry
PRAYER FROM PSALMS
Dear God, help me, help us all, to have a sane estimate of ourselves. You wrote in: Psalm 36:2 "For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin." Oh God! May we, this day, detect by your Good Hand, anything that is an idol for us. The Living version of this verse says, in our blind conceit, we do not see how wicked we really are. People don't want to talk about their wickedness but rather joy and praise. Our sounds will be empty unless we repent of these wicked hearts of ours. Psalm 97:10 Let those who love the LORD, hate their sin.
Biographical Reading Plan - Children of Israel: Numbers 33
Overview: Numbers 33-34
Forty years of wandering, waiting to enter the Promised Land. Today's reading we see the boundaries the Lord lays out for His people, very specific boundaries for the Land Beautiful. I've know this since I was a young girl, but is really struck me today how small the land is which the Lord chose to give to His people.
ReplyDeleteHow often do I want something larger than what the Lord provides to me? I want my desire to line up with His desires for me, I want to remain in the boundaries He sets for me.