Deuteronomy: Trust

As Deuteronomy moves to a close, there is a long section of blessings and curses. This was common in ancient suzerain covenants and serves as a "wrap up" for the Torah. Basically, it's a recognition of "do X get Y" at the hands of God. Yet, it is such a staggering summary of life choices, international powers shifts and natural phenomena that to reduce the Torah to a linear equation of "do X get Y" seems totally preposterous.

That is why 29:29 jumps off the page at me. "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law."

So much of life is out of my control. I have little to no influence over much that shapes my life. Yet there are things that I can choose. I can choose where to put my trust, how I will react to injustice, and how to express compassion. That which originates within
my heart and mind, I can control. These choices belong to me - and for those choices the Father revealed his will. For the rest of life that I can't control, there is trust. That portion of life with its "secret things belong[s] to the Lord our God".

Perhaps the great task of life is recognizing into which category each decision falls - within my realm of control and therefore guided by the revealed will of God or outside of my realm of control and therefore to be trusted in the hands of the Father.

Joshua 1:10-18; Courageous

God told Joshua to be strong and courageous. He could have told him to be humble or be patient or be caring. All are Godly traits. Yet he commanded strength and courage. Perhaps Joshua was timid or passive. Perhaps it was simply the position Joshua was in, i.e., the needs of the people at the moment. Or perhaps it was more about God.

If God was going to be able to help his people in the same way that he had helped them before, he needed the opportunity to show up. If Joshua was passive or indecisive, then there would not be a chance for God to perform any great works through him. How can God reward faith and step boldly into our lives if we do not take any risks? If we are always in control of life and never place ourselves in a vulnerable situation, then how will God have the chance to manifest himself?

So God called Joshua to strength and courage; surely he wants the same in his people today. Surely he wants the chance to manifest himself in us, i.e., to be seen as the one true God who is still actively at work in his people. Yet what chances does he get? We cherish security and work to eliminate risks, even developing "risk management" offices and seminars. But why would God ever show up in a life where we have taken total control and never step out in bold faith? Surely God smiled when Joshua walked away from his meeting with God and proclaimed "in three days we cross the river to take possession of the land." Soon God would split the Jordan river, tumble Jericho without a fight and become the focus of every resident for miles around. All the results of Joshua's courageous faith.

Surely there are rivers to cross and strongholds to tumble in my world that are God-sized jobs. The question is will I be courageous enough to give God the opportunity to show up?

Romans 8:1-17; Spirit Mind

Often I have read this and walked away understanding that we should not live according to the sinful nature. Yet, there is much more being said.

To live by the sinful nature is not a reference to those who gave up on God and turned their lives over to sin. Those were dealt with in chapter one. This is a discussion of each of us who tries to live for God and fails. We often fail because of the way we go about it. Trying to please him based upon doing a list of things to avoid is destined to fail; all it does is focus my thoughts upon what not to do. Then my mind is stuck with negative thoughts and images. It consumes and controls me. The end result is a mind that is "hostile to", "does not submit to" and "cannot please God." All of those are the exact opposite of what I seek by all my efforts in following the rules in the first place!

The text is pushing me to be spirit led. This sounds so ethereal and mystic. Yet Paul says that it involves the control of my mind, living out the righteous requirements of the law in my body and understanding my identity as a beloved child of God rather than a fearful servant trying to live up to a standard.

How counter-intuitive. All that is in me thinks that improvement should come through working harder at completing steps or a list. The text says that improvement comes through a mind and body controlled not be me but by the Spirit of God. My job is focusing upon the lead of the Spirit; the Spirit's job is to control my heart and mind.