FINAL WORDS
Today's reading: Deuteronomy 1-3

"But even after all he did, you refused to trust the Lord your God." Deuteronomy 1:32 NLT

This month marks my 16th year of reading my Bible every day.

Before you sign off on my, do not think for a moment that statement was made to bring glory or honor to myself--because it is not! Only, ONLY God could have allowed this privilege to me. Only my Savior could have provided this additional blessing to His saving grace. Only my Sustainer could have given me the determination and the drive and the appetite for His Word in such a insatiable way.

I do believe what amazes me most about this precious early morning gift is that it is new every day! Nothing is 'old hat'. Nothing bores me. Nothing, not a single morning, has failed to stir something in me.

Like this morning. I've uncovered what possibly many of you already knew, but it struck at my heart in a way that intensifies my desire to live out life in a godly way...

The book of Deuteronomy is Moses' personal diary of sorts.

It recounts their travels.

It gives detail about many of their victories--and their losses.

It states the truths of the journey.

It, my commentaries tell me, was probably 'penned' in the 11th month of the 40th year of their journey through the wilderness. The 12th month of that journey was spent in mourning Moses. When the prescribed time of sorrow was over, the children of Israel cross the Jordan and entered the Promised Land.

Moses quite possibly knew his time was about to end. He did know he would not be entering Canaan with the two million.

So he wanted to leave them with a reminder. Words to live by. Encouragement. A challenge to achieve.

He knew what the children had seen. He tasted the same miracles they had tasted. He walked every step of every mile they walked. He knew their fickleness. He knew, I believe, a tiny bit of the only-from-God plan in store for them. He knew they would need reminded of how far they'd come and by Whose hand they had been led.

He knew they would need to trust Him even more in the Promised Land than any moment spent in the wilderness.

He knew their track record.

He knew the love and mercy of God.

He knew they needed the reminder that on their own, they would wander off course and for a much longer time than necessary.

What more could we ever hope to leave our loved ones?