Irvin Wasswa: Tylertown Campus Pastor
Deuteronomy 1:8; 19-21; 26-30
8 See, I have set the land before you. Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their offspring after them.’
19 “Then we set out from Horeb and went through all that great and terrifying wilderness that you saw, on the way to the hill country of the Amorites, as the Lord our God commanded us. And we came to Kadesh-barnea. 20 And I said to you, ‘You have come to the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. 21 See, the Lord your God has set the land before you. Go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’
26 “Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. 27 And you murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the Lord hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. 28 Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven. And besides, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.”’ 29 Then I said to you, ‘Do not be in dread or afraid of them. 30 The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes
In the book of Deuteronomy Moses is recapping the history of the people of Israel, from their deliverance from slavery in Egypt to their time in the wilderness. He shares how God’s plan for His people was to lead them into the Promised Land. The land was good for the taking, however most of the spies (All except Joshua and Caleb) that were sent to check out the land came back with some scary news causing the Israelites to panic and rebel against God by choosing to not go in and conquer the land.
The Israelites were really good at making excuses. The chapter lists all the reasons why they couldn’t enter into the land the Lord promised them. They shared how there were terrifying giants who inhabited the land that were going to kill them if they chose to enter. They shared how the city was well fortified, making it impossible for them to conquer. They even came up with a horrible excuse that the God who led them out of slavery in Egypt actually hated them and only brought them out of Egypt to kill them! CRAZY!
Here’s the thing: If we are being honest, sadly we as believers are guilty also of making excuses as to why we choose not to follow the Lord in obedience. God may have called us to a task, called us to surrender something, or called us to share His Gospel with someone and a lot of times we come up with every excuse under the sun for why we don’t obey. The scripture tells us that the Lord delights in our obedience. He desires our obedience to Him even more than what sacrifices we may be bringing to Him. We must realize that when God calls us, our response is to obey!
What the Israelites missed out on was the opportunity to join God in the work He was going to do. God Himself said that He was going to be with them and fight for them as He did in Egypt and the wilderness (v.30). He already made a way for them to be victorious. When God calls you to share the Gospel with that co-worker, He is with you in that time. His Spirit will give you the boldness to share. Just step out! When God calls you to give in obedience, step out and give. It’s not yours anyways, it is all His (James 1:17). When God calls you to obedience in giving up something that is against His word, step out in faith and obey for His ways are perfect.
What is your excuse this morning for not walking in obedience? What is keeping you from being obedient to what God is calling you to right now? Choose to lay the excuses aside and walk in obedience to the Lord. Even if it may not make sense, choose walk in obedience.
“Trust and obey, trust and obey. For there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”
PRAYER FOR TODAY: Dear gracious Lord, thank you for delivering me from the bondage of sin and making me Yours. Thank you for your forgiveness and love in times when I choose to disobey You. Please forgive me for that. As you call me Lord, help me to choose obedience. I love you! Amen!
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.