GOD HAS A PLAN

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the desert east of the Jordan—that is, in the Arabah—opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab. (It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.)

In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them. This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.

East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab, Moses began to expound this law, saying:

The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them." Deuteronomy 1:1-8

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Deuteronomy, the last of the five books of the Pentateuch or Books of the Law is sometimes referred to as a “copy of the law” or “the second law’ or “the repetition of the law”. Overall, it calls Israel to renew its covenant with God prior to entering the land of Canaan. Along the way, Israel is reminded of God’s commandments and expectations for them.

In Chapter 1, we see Moses speaking to Israel in “the desert east of the Jordan… the Arabah —opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab”. It’s the “fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month” or 40 years after the Israelites left Egypt on their exodus toward the Promised Land. What did Moses speak to the people about? Scripture tells us it involved “all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them”. He began by expounding on the law and saying to Israel while at Horeb:

The Lord our God said to us…, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them."

Israel had spent enough time at Horeb or Mount Sinai and it was time to move out, “go in and take possession of the land” that the Lord was giving to them…their inheritance…the Promised Land of Canaan. And this land, their inheritance, was a fulfillment of the covenant promise passed onto them from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and “their descendants after them”.

From this passage, we see how God is in control of our service to Him when we place our lives in His hands. We need not worry about where to go or what to do because He will guide us to where he wants us to be.

For in this scripture, note that the people of Israel had traveled a long distance from Egypt to Horeb or Mount Sinai. But as they got to the mountain, they were commanded to stop and remain there. It’s during this time that Moses received a large portion of the guidance for the people of Israel as they were about to get organized and make the final push toward Canaan. The people were stopped at Horeb for a reason. God had instruction for them. And after He had passed that instruction to them, He commanded that they move out and start their journey to the Promised Land. Through all of this, we notice where God is in control. And it didn’t just begin here. For recall the story of Abraham who was ordered to leave everything behind and go to where God wanted him to go. And Abraham did, not asking any questions, but rather obeying God and trusting in His will and way. When Abraham got to Canaan, it was there that God told him "To your offspring I will give this land" and Abraham “built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him”. This is where God wanted him to be and now the Israelites…his offspring…were headed there themselves.

Question: Do you place your trust in God each and every day to guide you to where He wants you to be? And when you are where He wants you to be, do you trust Him to let you know what He wants you to do?

My prayer is that we learn from the scriptures that God has a plan for each and every one of us. And in realizing this, I hope we might be able to find understanding as Jeremiah and Solomon did in the following passages:

For Jeremiah said, “I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.” Jeremiah 10:23

And Solomon said, “A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?” Proverbs 20:24
and

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Thanks be to God for His guidance and the affirmation of truth through His word. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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