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Love And Light By Julie Ackerman
Read: Deuteronomy 11:8-15
The land which you cross over to possess is a land . . . for which the Lord your God cares. —Deuteronomy. 11:11-12
Friends are starting to plan their summer vegetable gardens. Some get an early start by planting seeds indoors where they can control the conditions and provide the best environment for sprouting. After the danger of frost has passed, they will transplant the seedlings outdoors. Once the garden is planted, the work of weeding, feeding, watering, and guarding against rodents and insects begins. Producing food is a lot of work.
Moses reminded the Israelites of this before they entered the promised land. While living in Egypt, they had to do the hard work of irrigating crops by hand (Deut. 11:10), but in the place where God was taking them He promised to ease their work by sending spring and autumn rains: “I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains” (v.14 niv). The only condition was that they “faithfully obey the commands” He gave them—“to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul” (v.13 niv). The Lord was taking His people to a place where their obedience and His blessing would make them a light to those around them.
God wants the same for us and from us: He wants our love to be displayed in our obedience so that we might be His light to people around us. The love and obedience we have to offer, though, is far less than He deserves. But He is our provider, blessing us and enabling us to be a light that the world will notice.
Loving God doesn’t make life effortless, but having His strength makes it easier.
INSIGHT: The word deuteronomy means “second law.” This word describes the content of the book and its purpose. After the law was first given to Moses on Mount Sinai, the Israelites rebelled and wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Now, 40 years later, they were about to enter the land of promise, and the laws given at Sinai were repeated in order to prepare them to be a people of God in their new home.
Read: Deuteronomy 11:8-15
The land which you cross over to possess is a land . . . for which the Lord your God cares. —Deuteronomy. 11:11-12
Friends are starting to plan their summer vegetable gardens. Some get an early start by planting seeds indoors where they can control the conditions and provide the best environment for sprouting. After the danger of frost has passed, they will transplant the seedlings outdoors. Once the garden is planted, the work of weeding, feeding, watering, and guarding against rodents and insects begins. Producing food is a lot of work.
Moses reminded the Israelites of this before they entered the promised land. While living in Egypt, they had to do the hard work of irrigating crops by hand (Deut. 11:10), but in the place where God was taking them He promised to ease their work by sending spring and autumn rains: “I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains” (v.14 niv). The only condition was that they “faithfully obey the commands” He gave them—“to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul” (v.13 niv). The Lord was taking His people to a place where their obedience and His blessing would make them a light to those around them.
God wants the same for us and from us: He wants our love to be displayed in our obedience so that we might be His light to people around us. The love and obedience we have to offer, though, is far less than He deserves. But He is our provider, blessing us and enabling us to be a light that the world will notice.
Loving God doesn’t make life effortless, but having His strength makes it easier.
INSIGHT: The word deuteronomy means “second law.” This word describes the content of the book and its purpose. After the law was first given to Moses on Mount Sinai, the Israelites rebelled and wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Now, 40 years later, they were about to enter the land of promise, and the laws given at Sinai were repeated in order to prepare them to be a people of God in their new home.