Deuteronomy 11
One of the most invaluable lessons for ministry that I learned at Wartburg Seminary was taught by Prof. Sam Giere in homilitics - to keep the sermons to a reasonable length :) I cut mine almost in half and still am able to say what the Spirit leads me to say. Moses is beginning to tire me out. It appears he's saying the same thing over and over again. Not that what he says isn't worth hearing, it's just that I'm having a hard time finding anything new in the chapters.
Moses is again reminding the Israelites of what God has done for them. He reminds them of God's promises to those who love Him, keep his charge, his statutes and his commandments. He reminds them and us again to teach all these things to our children. Well, then I guess, Moses was right in continually repeating himself. Seems to me we haven't listened too well!
Or maybe we have chosen to forget where we come from, how lost we would be if it were not for God; maybe we've chosen to forget that God has saved us from ourselves! When I worked at the youth correctional facility, it always amazed me that people "on the outside" would make comments that inferred the youth in the facility were really "bad" kids and that they, themselves, were not. I knew where they came from. I knew a bit about their lifestyle. Simply put, I knew them. The only difference between those in the correctional facility and those on the outside (in most cases) is that those on the inside had been caught and those on the outside had not. The youth "on the inside" had opportunity to change as they remembered where they came from, why they were there. Instead of facing our sinful natures and repenting so that we might receive forgiveness, often I think Christians, prefer to pretend that we are without sin and we get stuck wondering why God has not blessed us, wondering why we "good people" aren't enjoying the fruits of the good land that we live in. When we "good people" turn our backs on the LORD our God who saved us and follow after other gods, then we will receive the blessing of the other gods - gods who are worthless and have no blessings to give. Do we really expect a blessing from a rock or a piece of wood or paper with a president's face on it or coins?
So, even if Moses is beginning to wear me out by repeating himself, we probably need to read it and hear it over and over again so that his words may be laid up in our hearts and in our souls so that our days and the days of our children may be blessed.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and mind and soul that it may be well with you and your children and that you might live long upon the land that He has given you.
P.S. I apologize for being so long-winded myself in some of these blogs...
One of the most invaluable lessons for ministry that I learned at Wartburg Seminary was taught by Prof. Sam Giere in homilitics - to keep the sermons to a reasonable length :) I cut mine almost in half and still am able to say what the Spirit leads me to say. Moses is beginning to tire me out. It appears he's saying the same thing over and over again. Not that what he says isn't worth hearing, it's just that I'm having a hard time finding anything new in the chapters.
Moses is again reminding the Israelites of what God has done for them. He reminds them of God's promises to those who love Him, keep his charge, his statutes and his commandments. He reminds them and us again to teach all these things to our children. Well, then I guess, Moses was right in continually repeating himself. Seems to me we haven't listened too well!
Or maybe we have chosen to forget where we come from, how lost we would be if it were not for God; maybe we've chosen to forget that God has saved us from ourselves! When I worked at the youth correctional facility, it always amazed me that people "on the outside" would make comments that inferred the youth in the facility were really "bad" kids and that they, themselves, were not. I knew where they came from. I knew a bit about their lifestyle. Simply put, I knew them. The only difference between those in the correctional facility and those on the outside (in most cases) is that those on the inside had been caught and those on the outside had not. The youth "on the inside" had opportunity to change as they remembered where they came from, why they were there. Instead of facing our sinful natures and repenting so that we might receive forgiveness, often I think Christians, prefer to pretend that we are without sin and we get stuck wondering why God has not blessed us, wondering why we "good people" aren't enjoying the fruits of the good land that we live in. When we "good people" turn our backs on the LORD our God who saved us and follow after other gods, then we will receive the blessing of the other gods - gods who are worthless and have no blessings to give. Do we really expect a blessing from a rock or a piece of wood or paper with a president's face on it or coins?
So, even if Moses is beginning to wear me out by repeating himself, we probably need to read it and hear it over and over again so that his words may be laid up in our hearts and in our souls so that our days and the days of our children may be blessed.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and mind and soul that it may be well with you and your children and that you might live long upon the land that He has given you.
P.S. I apologize for being so long-winded myself in some of these blogs...
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