Devotion Thoughts - 08/04/2011

Deut 32:28-52


Any nation where the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is not consulted and worshipped is a 'nation void of counsel' with 'no understanding'. They do not realise that God is using them to teach His chosen people a lesson, and will punish them when their usefulness is ended. God's objective is to get His people, the Israelites, right with Himself again.


The song ended, Moses advises the people to remember the words of it. That done, God tells him to prepare to die.


On spiritual matters, God is doing for individual believers what He has been doing for nation Israel; He has the power to build us up (v.39), and to use us for His glory. By letting Him have His way with me I ensure that I will also enter the 'Promised Land' that awaits every believer.


Psalm 78:56-64


After they had entered Canaan and conquered the inhabitants, the Israelites set up the tent at Shiloh as instructed. There the nation worshipped God to begin with. Gradually, however they again started worshipping idols. It was going to take some serious lessons before they learned to worship God only. It was only after returning from captivity in Babylon that they began to worship God as He wanted.


As for the nation of Israel, so for the individual believer. We sometimes have to go through serious trials before we learn that it makes better sense to surrender our lives completely to God. It is so much less hassle to surrender to Him without trying to also enjoy a worldly life.


Proverbs 12:24


Christians should always be prepared to do a decent day's work to earn their daily bread. That's what of us Jesus wants to see when He returns. Let us not disappoint Him - or ourselves!

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