Week 11 Devotions

March 12 - - There are times as we read through Scripture that profound statements are made and in our haste to complete our reading, we barely take note of what we just read. Moses’ brother and sister were complaining about their brother’s position as God’s spokesman. Afterall, they were both older than Moses. They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t He spoken through us, too?” The answer was of course, “yes.” But, the implication was that maybe they deserved to be elevated before the people as highly as Moses was. Now, one of the reasons Moses was given the position he was, was because of his humility. He had it. They didn’t. The Bible tells us in words we sometimes skim right over, “Now Moses was more humble than any other person on earth” (Numbers 12:3). That’s a pretty strong statement. God hates the proud (Proverbs 8:13; 16:18; James 4:6; I Peter 5:5). Pride takes stock in one’s own abilities and leaves God out of the equation. Aaron and Miriam thought pretty highly of themselves and they reaped the consequences of their pride (Numbers 12:5-16), as do we all. We are what we are and we are who we are because of God. And, when we recognize that, God blesses us with His wisdom (Proverbs 11:2; 13:10). In the New Testament, the apostle Paul gives us this warning, “Be honest in your estimate of yourselves” (Romans 12:3). God is the One who “has given each of us the ability to do certain things well” (12:6). So, when we accomplish anything noteworthy, the credit and the honor go to Him and not to us. That is why some of Moses’ remarks to the Israelites before he dies and they enter into the Promised Land, are interesting. Moses blames the fact that God would not let him enter into the Promised Land on them. “And the Lord was angry with me because of you” (Deuteronomy 1:37; 3:26; 4:21). Translated, “it’s your fault I can’t enter into the Promised Land with you.” The fact is, Moses had not followed God’s command when the people had demanded water. Instead of giving glory to God, Moses took some of the credit unto himself (Numbers 20:1-13). Like all of us, even Moses fought this battle between giving God the glory He deserves and keeping some of God’s glory unto himself. It is a battle all of us have raging on inside of us, as well. It should be encouraging to us that the most humble man on earth struggled with the issue of pride. And if God accepted and loved Moses as He did, then there is room for God to do the same with us, in spite of our occasional relapses with pride. March 15 - - As Moses talks to the Israelites in the book of Deuteronomy, he is talking to people who were either younger than twenty years of age when the nation left Egypt (Numbers 14:29), or born during the forty years the nation wandered in the wilderness (14:33-35). If we assume that most children don’t remember much before they are five years of age, then only those forty-five years of age and older would have any recollection of the miracles God did in Egypt prior to their leaving Egypt, or any recollection of the miracles God performed for the Israelites after they left Egypt. But, it is that group of people whom Moses appeals to as the Israelites prepare to enter the Promised Land. “You have seen the many miracles God has done in the past, with your own eyes! You, as much as anyone, should understand the necessity of obeying God, and you, more than anyone, should set the example for everyone else by obeying God!” (Deuteronomy 11:1-7). Eyewitness accounts are always given more credibility than reports heard second hand. The apostle John would write about Jesus, “the one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is Jesus Christ, the Word of life. This one who is life from God was shown to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and announce to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was shown to us. We are telling you about what we ourselves have actually seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us” (I John 1:1-3). There will be those, like Thomas, who refuse to believe unless they actually, personally see Jesus for them-selves (John 20:24-29). But, while none of us has literally seen Jesus, many of us have seen what Jesus has done in our lives. Many of us have experienced changes, been blessed by his miraculous provisions, and more to know that he is alive and still at work in us. Now, even though many do not believe the testimony of our lips when we say we have seen the Lord at work, they will believe the testimony of our lives, if the change in our lives verifies the testimony of our lips. If you have seen the Lord’s mighty deeds with your own eyes, then prove it in the way you live!