The End - The first (Deuteronomy 32-34)

This is the first year I have reached the end of the five books of the law with regret. Genesis always gives me a buzz, but I slow down when I which the temple construction in Exodus and Leviticus has me reading words and not thinking.

But making myself really think about what I was reading has blessed me beyond measure, and I pray it has touched your lives as well.  The word of God is indeed a sharp, two-edged sword.  It is harsh and frightening--and it is close up and personal.

Choosing which words of wisdom from the end of Moses's sermon (and life) is like trying to choose from a box of chocolates. They're all so good, and they all reflect themes we've touched on over and over. So I'll give you yet another list.

OUR REASON FOR READING THESE OLD, DRY BOOKS: Read up on what happened before you were born; dig into the past, understand your roots. (Deuteronomy 32:6-7).  
     Oh boy, have I learned a lot about my roots. When I scratched the surface, I discovered truths as relevant today as they were 3400 years ago, and the same passionate God seeking a relationship with me.

BY THE END OF DEUTERONOMY, WE ARE READY TO FLY: He was like an eagle hovering over its nest, overshadowing its young, then spreading its wings, lifting them into the air, teaching them to fly. (Deuteronomy 32:10-14, MSG)
   But the only way I learn how to fly is to be dropped in mid-air--straight into the fight for the promised land. As a friend said, scary and exhilerating at the same time.

GOD IS GOD, AND WE CAN'T ESCAPE HIM. I bring death and I give life, I wound and I heal--there is no way of getting away from or around me! (Deuteronomy 32:39-42, MSG)
       Like it or not, God is there. We either join Him or fight Him, but we can't ignore Him.

GOD IS GOD, AND HE WILL NEVER ABANDON US. God's beloved; God's permanent residence. Encircled by God all day long, within whom God is at home. (Deuteronomy 33:12, MSG)

In summary  - God wishes for us to live with

THE SMILE OF THE BURNING-BUSH DWELLER

(Deuteronomy 32:13-17, MSG)

NO ESCAPE (Leviticus 23)

Wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to God. (Leviticus 23:3) 

We can't get away from God.  He is the Omni of all omnis, omnipresent (everywhere), omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipotent (all-powerful). 

God's presence is a two-edged sword. He travels with us whatever road we venture on. When we find ourselves in the deepest pit (whether our own fault or not), He is there with is. I cling to that faith as I sense I am about to undergo another valley.

The other side is--we can't find someplace private to sin. We can't go into our rooms, lock our doors, shut the blinds, and hope that God won't see us. 

The point God makes in this passage is simple: wherever you live, you still must obey Me. My rules don't change when your address does.

God wants me to be light and salt, a witness, a servant, here in this nursing home. 

I should be the same person at church, at home, in my bed and in the kitchen, in front of the television set or writing a devotional. Consistency.

Purity is a word the Bible uses to describe it: 100% commitment. No pretense when it comes to our faith. No change or alteration. 

Does this mean God demands perfection? Not really. John's letter says that is we say we have no sin, we're lying.  

What God does want is a heart after God, like David had.  He was a murderer and an adulterer - but he loved God with all his heart. 

That's what God wants from us. Not our perfection but our love, our focus. 

Holiness grows out of that relationship.