The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 1:42,
"Do not go up and fight, because I [the Lord] will not be with you [the Israelites]. You will be defeated by your enemies."
In this chapter Moses is recounting events that took place following Israel's exodus from Egypt and before the forty year sojourn in the wilderness. The Lord told Israel to go up into the promised land to take it from the Canaanites. Not trusting the Lord's power to bring a sure military victory for them, they refused to go. The Lord's response was to tell the Israelites their generation would never see the promised land, only their children would.
Israel's reaction to the Lord's rejection of that generation led to them to reconsider, "Then you replied, 'We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight, as the Lord our God commanded us.' So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country." Verse 41.
At that point the Lord told the Israelites what we read in verse 42, above. He would not be with the Israelites if they were to go fight. Nonetheless, they went up and got slaughtered.
As I think about it, Israel was never able to overcome the Canaanites on their own. The Israelites' victory could only come with the Lord's help, which they initially didn't trust. Forty years later they did conquer the Canaanites with the Lord's help (as long as they followed the Lord).
What enablement! What empowerment! Israel could do amazing things with the Lord's help. Apart from the Lord's help, not so much.
It causes me to think of the Lord's enablement of us today. There are so many things we might not be able to become or accomplish apart from the Lord's help. With his help, things become possible! "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37. "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57.
Paul speaks of his prayer for believers, "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21.
I hate to say it, but I'll bet there are many ways the Lord enables me to do things where I fail to acknowledge him. It needs to be a constant focus on my part to ensure I do. After all, does he deserve any less from me?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"Do not go up and fight, because I [the Lord] will not be with you [the Israelites]. You will be defeated by your enemies."
In this chapter Moses is recounting events that took place following Israel's exodus from Egypt and before the forty year sojourn in the wilderness. The Lord told Israel to go up into the promised land to take it from the Canaanites. Not trusting the Lord's power to bring a sure military victory for them, they refused to go. The Lord's response was to tell the Israelites their generation would never see the promised land, only their children would.
Israel's reaction to the Lord's rejection of that generation led to them to reconsider, "Then you replied, 'We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight, as the Lord our God commanded us.' So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country." Verse 41.
At that point the Lord told the Israelites what we read in verse 42, above. He would not be with the Israelites if they were to go fight. Nonetheless, they went up and got slaughtered.
As I think about it, Israel was never able to overcome the Canaanites on their own. The Israelites' victory could only come with the Lord's help, which they initially didn't trust. Forty years later they did conquer the Canaanites with the Lord's help (as long as they followed the Lord).
What enablement! What empowerment! Israel could do amazing things with the Lord's help. Apart from the Lord's help, not so much.
It causes me to think of the Lord's enablement of us today. There are so many things we might not be able to become or accomplish apart from the Lord's help. With his help, things become possible! "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37. "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57.
Paul speaks of his prayer for believers, "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21.
I hate to say it, but I'll bet there are many ways the Lord enables me to do things where I fail to acknowledge him. It needs to be a constant focus on my part to ensure I do. After all, does he deserve any less from me?
How has the Lord enabled you?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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