On the Move - Wisdom for the Journey
On the Move – Don’t Forget
Deuteronomy 1:1-18
As followers of Jesus Christ and members of His church who are on the move in a world that is still filled with dangers and temptations, let’s pay attention to the words of the LORD through Moses recorded in Deuteronomy because in them we will find wisdom for the journey. Wisdom that if we embrace will help us as His people remain faithful and loyal to King Jesus and His mission as we head towards our eternal ‘promise land’, a new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21:1).
Three things of first importance that God wanted His people to know and remember as they were about to be on the move:
1. God has sovereign authority over our lives (vs. 1-5)
- Yahweh/LORD is the one and only true God – all praise, worship and total obedience are due Him (cf. Dt.4:35; Isa. 44:6,8).
- Accepting this is not easy but it is essential
- If we don’t surrender to his sovereign authority over our lives we will struggle to trust and obey Him
Do you have a biblical understanding of who God is and how you are to relate to Him? Have you come to grips with the fact that your life is not your own? (1 Cor. 6:19-20)
2. God expects His people to remember and obey His commands (vs. 5b-8)
- Taking God’s word seriously (knowing and applying) is essential on the journey (James 1:22-25)
- One of the primary ways to please God is to do what He tells us to do (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22; Jn. 14:21)
- God commanded his people to do three things, “break camp and advance…” (vs. 7), “Go in…” (vs. 8) and “take possession…” (vs. 8)
What has God commanded you to do that you are not obeying? Is God prompting you that you have “camped out” long enough where you are in your journey to becoming a fully devoted disciple of Christ? What next steps has he directed you to take?
3. God will provide what we need for the journey (vs. 9-18)
- Pausing on the move to reflect on God’s faithfulness will help us not to forget and become ungrateful
- The LORD who has sovereign authority over lives knows what we need and will provide (cf. Ps. 81:10; Jer. 29:11, 12; Php. 4:19)
- God never intended for us to journey alone, He is with us and he has placed us in His family.
Are you overwhelmed on the journey? Do you believe God will meet your needs? Are you staying closely connected to Him and his family on the journey?
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