EXPAND TO READ: DEUTERONOMY 29 (HCSB)
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verse 19): You really do have a sense of humor at times, Father. When I read this verse I felt like You were calling me out in a somewhat sarcastic manner. This verse is pretty much exactly how I was living out my faith for so many years, thinking I could have peace even though I was harboring an extremely stubborn heart. Yes, my stubborn heart was keeping me from aligning with Your will, but also keeping me from experiencing Your grace, joy, and love towards me which I was not really feeling from anyone at times. My stubborn heart kept me planted firmly in a bad place both mentally and spiritually for a long time. Now that I know what it truly means and feels like to be loved by You, I do not ever want to go back to the state I used to be in with my stubborn heart. Please forgive me for those times, Father, but also help me to always remember how low I got in those times so that I may never return to them.
PROMISE (verse 29): I really love the very last verse in this chapter and how it really opens up and reveals something from You. You assure us that anything revealed to us is ours forever, but just before that You tell us that the “hidden things belong to the Lord.” You are essentially promising us that there are things that are hidden to us, but that You are the one who reveals things to us and will do so as we are ready for them. Once revealed, You promise us that they will be ours forever, but for a purpose. That purpose is so that “we may follow all the words of this law.” Essentially, You are promising us that You will never tell us to do something that we are not already prepared for. You are promising us that You will reveal to us everything we need to follow You in each and every moment. This doesn’t mean You reveal EVERYTHING at once as You also promise that there are things hidden from us which belong only to You. Thank You for knowing what I can handle and what I can’t, Father. Thank You for providing me with what I need in the moment to take on whatever it is You want me to take on in those moments, Father.
ATTITUDE (verse 29): Today I am humbled by this verse. I am humbled because I like to think I’m a fairly intelligent person. I like to think I know quite a bit of facts about many various topics in this world. Here You tell us, however, that I essentially only know whatever it is that You have revealed to me and that everything that hasn’t been revealed is solely Yours. This humbles me today because how much is there which You have NOT revealed to ANYONE in this world, yet? Are we even at 1% of all that there is to know? We have so many people who are proclaimed to be “geniuses” in this world, but they are only smart in what has been revealed to them, nothing more. If we knew just how much (not specifics) we do not truly know, I think people would live in a far humbler manner knowing that they really don’t know too much in this life. Thank You for the lesson in living a humble life, Father.
COMMAND (verse 9): Not only do You give a command here, but You also follow it up with a conditional promise. You tell us to observe the words of our covenant with You and follow them, that’s the command. Then You end it with “so that you will succeed in everything you do.” If I truly observe the words in my covenant with You and I truly follow them, then I will have great success in all things I do for Your kingdom in this life. Help me to be better at following this command, Father. Help me to truly embrace, acknowledge, and understand the covenant I have with You, so that I may always follow them in a way that honors and respects You.
EXAMPLE (verses 25-27): This is an amazing example of Your power, but also an example of how hurt You feel when we blatantly turn away from You. If someone, who was a direct witness to Your majesty, turns to worship other gods in this life then that is essentially them revoking their faith in You as You have said MANY times throughout scripture that You are the one true God and no other “gods” will be worshipped by those who follow You. This is a powerful example of this and a good reminder as well. Help me to remember that I must not prioritize anything above You, Father. You are my #1 priority in this life, not my wife, children, church, work, etc. It’s always You and I must remember that always, no matter what experiences I have in this life.
*DAILY NOTE: This was a tough read at first, but then I saw You speaking directly at me with a bit of humor, Father. When I read verse 19, I truly felt like You were speaking directly to me and in-person right now, because that aligned so much with the mess I was in the past. I guess if I’m being honest, I still have a bit of a stubborn heart at times, but NO WHERE near what it was 1, 2, 3+ years ago for sure. Thank You so much for today’s conversation and for the directness in the way You speak to me, Father. I really do appreciate these daily conversations, convictions, and reminders from You.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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