When you pack for a trip, are you the type of person who can be ready in an instant? Do you ever forget anything (like a belt, toothbrush, etc.)? Or are you the type of person that needs a great deal of time to ensure you don’t forget anything?
As you answer that question, regardless of which camp you are in, imagine what it would be like if you were moving to a new home. That’s going to go up significantly in time. You’d want to make sure you didn’t miss anything, and you’d make sure the most important things were secured and protected like treasure.
The same is true for the Israelites in Moses’ day. Moses is like a parent telling his children to take care to look in all the crevices and to be sure to take extra care with the most important things – the commands that God has given his people to live in relationship with him and each other.
God’s people stand on the precipice of entering into the Promised Land. And, once they get there, it would be easy to fall into old habits while unpacking. It would be easy to forget all that God had done for them and to start seeking elsewhere for comfort, peace and protection.
That’s why Moses is adamant that they carry the Law with them. That they let it permeate their hearts and minds so that they will remain true to who God has called them to be, as well as to be a blessing to those nations around them. Moses reminds the Israelites that if they completely obey these commands, they “will display [their] wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’” (Deuteronomy 4:6).
Moses is equipping God’s people, like a good parent, for the adventure that is about to come. By remembering who they are and whose they are, they might avoid the traps of this world. Moses’ hope for them is that they will keep first things first and trust in God as the only source of true life. God’s word was a treasure for the Israelites in the time of Moses, and his living word is a lamp unto our feet. Just as Moses called God’s people to care to wrap and protect the most important treasure, let it be so with us, too.
Questions for reflection:
- When we face new challenges and adventures, we tend to have more success when we have a firm foundation. What steps do you feel God is calling you to in this season to keep his word a firm foundation in your heart? Make a plan to get started with those next steps.
- Who are the people that poured into you in your faith journey? A parent, coach or friend? Take time today to thank them for equipping you for this faith journey.