Musings

Thoughts Along the Way

10.26.2023

In my daily Bible reading, I am in Deuteronomy. Just finished reading Chapter 10, which is in the middle of Moses’ sermon to the Israelites as they are about to enter the promise land. The last part of Chapter 10 — verses 12-21 — are jaw-dropping, knee-bending, heart-pounding verses about our God:

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good? Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the LORD set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day.  Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.  For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.  He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.  Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen.”

Deut. 10:12-21 (NIV)

What drives me to write something about this passage is this: How can I just walk away, close my Bible, check off my reading list box, after reading such a text? How do I begin school, grade papers, process laundry, clean the kitchen….? How do I give that text proper honor when I have to go about my very ordinary day? Will I even remember reading this tomorrow? Even later today? But, this is what it is like being human in this fallen world — we get a glimpse of the Almighty and His reality and yet we’re anchored to earth, caught up in the trappings of our ordinary life. What does it mean to fear the Lord, walk in His ways, to love and serve Him, to observe everything He has commanded? How can I hold on to the beauty of His love, justice, compassion? He lifts up our eyes to see Him, to long to know Him — His power, might, love, justice, compassion — and then He leaves us here, in the midst of everything ordinary! How do I keep this reality open in my mind and heart even as I close Bible to move on to the things of earth?

I tell myself that these words and commands are given for our life on this earth, for those of us who are left until He comes again. These commands are given so that we long for Him, to give us hope as we walk the dusty paths of this earth, as we take dominion and spread His truth in our ordinary. It’s just sometimes I want to linger, to soak up in the sun these rays of heavenly reality; to stay warmed by them for a while, and not grow cold like the cup of coffee next to me. My prayer is that God will give me a united vision of heaven and earth where He reigns so I can function in my ordinary, earthly days, with His heaven reality.