1 “These are the words that Moses spoke to all the people of Israel while they were in the wilderness east of the Jordan River. They were camped in the Jordan Valley[a] near Suph, between Paran on one side and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab on the other. 2 Normally it takes only eleven days to travel from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea, going by way of Mount Seir. 3 But forty years after the Israelites left Egypt, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses addressed the people of Israel, telling them everything the Lord had commanded him to say. 4 (This took place after he had defeated King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated King Og of Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth.) 5 While the Israelites were in the land of Moab east of the Jordan River, Moses carefully explained the Lord’s instructions as follows.

6 “When we were at Mount Sinai, the Lord our God said to us, ‘You have stayed at this mountain long enough. 7 It is time to break camp and move on. Go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all the neighboring regions—the Jordan Valley, the hill country, the western foothills, the Negev, and the coastal plain. Go to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, and all the way to the great Euphrates River. 8 Look, I am giving all this land to you! Go in and occupy it, for it is the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to all their descendants.””

Deuteronomy 1 vs 1 - 8, New Living Translation

How many days should it have taken the Israelite’s to enter the country God had promised to give to the them (vs 2)?

How long did it take them (vs 3)?

The Israelite’s had disobeyed God when He was ready to lead them into the land the first time and, as a result, many years of their lives were wasted.

How is it with my life this morning? Am I truly seeking to know the things which God teaches through the Bible and be led by Him?

Like the last reading (in Luke 1 vs 1-4) this reading also shows that God arranged for someone with skill to write down His truth so that others may follow. (Vs 3 tells us that the Lord gave these words to Moses to tell to the people of Israel.)

What does vs 8 tell us concerning God’s promises? Does he force us, or twist our arms?

We see something of God’s tenderness towards His people in Revelation 3 vs 19-20 where Jesus was speaking to some Christians who’d been going the wrong way. He said to them: “I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” God is not ‘pushy’. He calls us to enter into His blessings.

Thought: Is my life “in step with God yet?” Some people keep putting off the possibility of a friendship with Christ and sadly never enter that place of knowing Him as a personal saviour.

Thank God this morning for His wonderful patience with us! If you are not a Christian yet, the day of salvation is still here. The door is still open from God’s side.