THE LORD SPOKE (March 23)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 29-30

It’s so straightforward and clear. God says, “If you do this, I will bless you. But, if you do that, I will curse you.” With very few exceptions things are written in black and white. True, there are some grey areas that we don’t always understand. But like Mark Twain said, "It ain't the parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand." (Quoted in Alex Ayres, The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain.)

Deuteronomy 30 is the capstone on the covenant. There are some remaining loose ends to be tied off in chapters 31-34 but, following the ancient treaty formula for royal covenants, this chapter closes with a calling forth of the witnesses. And who could stand witness for God? There being no likely candidate, He calls forth heaven and earth as witnesses.

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Deut. 30:19-20)

The people of Israel, and we today, are given a clear choice. Follow God’s way or abandon Him and go your own way. Oh, and don’t forget, there are consequences. If you love the Lord your God and listen to His voice, He will provide for you, bless you, and cause you to prosper. If you turn from Him, He will judge you, let you go your merry way, and will abandon you to your own devices. And guess what? You’ll make a royal mess of things every time.

Did you catch the position, and therefore the meaning, of Deuteronomy 29:29?

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law [i.e. everything written down right here].

Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out, does it?


New Testament: John 14

Is your heart troubled? Are there things happening in your life that have you weighed down? disturbed in your soul? tired? too weary to go on?

This chapter offers hope and the solution to these and every other problem. The short answer comes already in the first verse, “Trust in God!” (Jn. 14:1). The longer answer is spelled out in what follows and it’s broken down into three areas:

1) TRUST IN THE FATHER

• His house will be our final abode and it’s being made ready for us even now (14:2).
• He loves us (14:21).
• He has taken the initiative to provide for us everything that we need and His plan covers all contingencies (14:25).
• He is greater than all things and worthy of our trust (14:10,28).

2) TRUST IN THE SON

• He is (not just shows, but is) the way, the truth, and the life for us (14:6).
• He is open to our requests (14:13) and
• He speaks the words of the Father to us (14:10) and intercedes with Him on our behalf (14:12-14).
• He has promised to never leave us (14:18).

3) TRUST IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

• His role for us is as Counselor (14:16). He is our Advocate, both giving us wise advice and representing our interests to the Father.
• He will guide us to understand Truth (14:17).
• He will dwell in us (14:17) in order to be our ever-present Guide.
• He will help us remember the teachings of Scripture (14:26).

What is our part? To love Him (14:21), to obey His commands (14:23), to keep our eyes fixed on Him (14:9,19), and to trust and not fear (14:1,27).

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.