Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
Hello friends, I hope you all had a wonderful and joyous Thanksgiving, reflecting on His goodness and all the gifts that He provides to us each and every day. His light is constantly shining, even through all the chaos and confusion that the world brings.
This week we are joined again by my sweet children for the memory verse melody of Deuteronomy 32:4, a family favorite – enjoy!
This verse is in the song of Moses that he recited to Joshua and the Israelites before they were to finally enter into the Promised Land. Along their journey God provided food to eat, water to drink, clothing and shoes that never wore out, and protection against the surrounding nations. He guided them as a pillar of cloud during the day, a pillar of fire at night, parted the Red Sea to cross on dry land, and healed the sick. He made himself known, giving promises of deliverance and protection, and even spoke from the mountain at Sinai. What a rock!
All the while, every step of the way, the people questioned God, complained, rejected Him, and placed their trust in other gods. If God’s people were that rebellious during a time of so many miracles and expressions of might, they were sure to repeat this pattern in subsequent generations. Moses’ song is a reminder, sung to the young and old, as a way to remember God’s promises, His strength, His goodness, and how rebellious and prone we are to wander. We are like the Israelites in many ways. But God is good. He provides for us every day and gives us the living scriptures as a way to draw near to him as we wander.
Psalm 118:1-2
I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
The Lord is my rock. I can rely on Him for all my needs. A great example of this is found in Exodus 17, again in the wilderness travels. The people are thirsty and start complaining, desiring to return to Egypt under slavery. God provided water for them that came gushing out of a rock! We can trust that his works are perfect and He will provide all that we need as we seek to serve Him. Water from a rock is impossible, yet for God nothing is impossible. We may not always understand His ways, but we can trust in Him as faithful and just, even through our doubts.
God used Abraham and Sarah, a couple that was too old to have children, to build a nation that would ultimately restore all nations back to God. We are separated from His holiness through our sinful nature. Through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can be reunited with God. The Israelites were set apart by God to be a witness to all nations of His goodness and His plan to restore the world. They looked forward in anticipation to the fulfillment of God’s promise. We have seen that fulfillment and look forward to the complete restoration of this world in Christ’s return. In the meantime, we get to proclaim the Good News of hope and deliverance as we anticipate His return.
While we know the truth and have seen the fulfillment of God’s covenant with Abraham, we wander just like each generation of God’s chosen people of Israel. Deuteronomy 32:4 re-calibrates the heart, which is why this memory verse is a family favorite. I thank God that He is a rock that I can build my whole life upon.
Isaiah 28:16
So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.
Psalm 118:22
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Another rock analogy is attributed to Jesus – the cornerstone. The stone that the builders rejected. That’s the story of humanity. We replace Jesus as the rightful ruler with ourselves on the throne. But the scriptures tell us time and time again of the goodness and grace of God. He can be trusted in all things. We each have our own testimony of this; God is active in our lives.
If anything is clear in 2020, it’s that the world needs healing. The world needs hope. The world needs the love of God. Join me in sharing this good news to the world!
May God bless you as you lean on Him this week as the Rock, the Cornerstone, the sure foundation!
In Christ’s Strength Alone,
Leyna