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Year of the Bible, April 7Our Nation’s Song
Today’s reading – Deuteronomy 31:1 – 32:27
You may or may not know that Canada’s national anthem is a prayer. Oh, Canada, our home and native land True patriot love, in all of us command With glowing hearts we see thee rise, the true north strong and free From far and wide, Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee
Ruler Supreme, Who hearest humble prayer Hold our dominion in thy living care Help us to find, O God in thee, a lasting rich reward As waiting for the better day, we ever stand on guard.
Deuteronomy is near the end of Moses life. He is passing the baton on to Joshua, and the Lord tells him to write a national song for Israel. As I read it, I’m guessing it would be written a minor key, - kind of a “bluesy” lilt to it, somewhat mournful. Theresa Sokyrka could have done a terrific job of singing it on last year’s Canadian Idol. It is a song of so much potential, starting off as it does with the desire of God to bless the nation like a gentle rain on new growth. But suddenly the melody shifts as the nation rises up in rebellion against God. Stanza after stanza is filled with the mournful chords of this “nation void of sense”.
Enough about Israel. What if we were to write Canada’s song today? What is we were to write your testimony in a song today? Christian brothers and sisters, the next time you hear Canada’s National Anthem, don’t just sing it. Pray it out loud.
Ruler Supreme, Who hearest humble prayer Hold our dominion in thy living care Help us to find, O God in thee, a lasting rich reward As waiting for the better day, we ever stand on guard.
Let the Word speak –
Thurland
Year of the Bible, April 6Renewal
Today’s reading – Deuteronomy 29:1 – 30:20
As I write this, the farmers are getting ready to go back to Parliament Hill. They were there yesterday, and some of them will be there tomorrow. My purpose is not to write about the farmers struggle with the government, for I do not understand the issues enough to do so. I do know that a ton of corn sells for the same price it did in 1972. To put that in perspective, in 1972 I was making $2.00 an hour. I do know that other governments are subsidizing their farmers, which makes it very difficult for Canadian farmers to compete in a world economy. And I do know that many farmers, while they may not voice it this way, are afraid. But it’s not the farmers I want to talk about – it is the “renewal”. In today’s lesson, Moses gathered his people together and talked about how a renewed emphasis on the way of God would bring a renewed strength from God. In this group of farmers there are a number of what I would call “strong Christians.” They feel an intense desire to seek God’s direction. These Christian farmers are not on the Hill asking God for an easy life. They are, after all, farmers. They know something about long hours and hard work. These Christian farmers (your neighbors and mine) are asking God to touch the lives of their fellow farmers. In these Christian farmers there is a renewed emphasis on the way of God. Today we do join them in prayer for a renewed strength from God for themselves, But even beyond that, we pray that in the farming community there would be a turning to God – a “revival” if you will. And we pray that from the farming community, it would spill over and touch our nation. So today, somewhere around noon if you think of them, could you join your prayer voice with theirs, and ask God to speak through the Prayer Meeting that is being called on Parliament Hill.
Let the Word speak – as we pray for renewal
Thurland Year of the Bible, April 5A Sandwich of Curses & Blessings
Today’s reading – Deuteronomy 28:1-68 ‘Yesterday I heard Dr. Laura scold someone for allowing his 13 year old son to watch a certain suspense thriller. I think I would like to make that same recommendation abut Chapter 28 of Deuteronomy. At least there should be a warning posted that “this chapter contains graphic language that some readers may find disconcerting.”
Actually, I would recommend that Chapter 28 be read with chapter 27 & 29. Together they make a more palatable meal though one that is still not easy to digest.
The situation is that Moses has called them together again, and the leaders are going to read messages. They start off by repeating some of the Law in the form of negative statements. (Instead of saying, “Honor your father & mother”, they say “Cursed is anyone who dishonors…”) The next part of the sandwich (beginning of 28) is a beautiful poem describing the blessings of obedience. (You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country…) That is immediately followed by this graphic depiction of the results of disobedience. (You will be Cursed in the city and cursed in the country…) Then in 29, Moses stands up again, and basically says, “Now you know. You know that the immediate promises of God are conditional upon your obedience. And you know the horrors that follow if you turn away from God. Now it is up to you.”
I personally am not sure whether God “sends curses” in particular situations, or whether these curses are just the automatic results of certain things. For example, did God send AIDS as curse for sexual sin, or is AIDS simply a natural result of what happens when we disregard the laws God has put in place for our protection. I don’t know the answer to that, but the result is the same – AIDS has been an awful curse.
The point is this: God has given us ample warning. Following His Way is the way of blessing. Disregarding His Way is the way of curses. Now we know.
Let the Word speak.
Thurland Year of the Bible, April 4Declaration of Dependence
Today’s reading – Deuteronomy 26:1 – 27:26
In the “old days”, there used to be room for a bit of levity when crossing the border between Canada and the US. I was with a men’s quartet from Bethany Bible College, going into Maine for a weekend. For some reason they pulled us all into the Immigration Department and asked for ID. Karl Ingersoll told them. “All I have is my name written in my Bible.” The first thing out of my mouth was, “Don’t show them that. They’ll think you are King James.”
It is rumored that one man, when asked if he had anything to declare, replied, “Yes. I’d like to declare Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour.”
In the Deuteronomy lesson today, the people are told that one of the first things they are to do after entering the Promised Land is to go to the priest and make a clear declaration of their faith. In other words, they were to go to church and give their testimony. Deut. 26:2 says, “go to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name and say to the priest in office at the time, "I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the land the LORD swore to our forefathers to give us.” They were to say where they had been (slaves in Egypt), how they had escaped (the Lord brought us out with an outstretched arm), and where they now lived (in a land flowing with milk and honey, a land provided by God.)
How long since you have made such a declaration of dependence to God. How long since you looked at one of his priests, and clearly stated your intentions to follow the God who has blessed you. How long? Maybe it’s overdue?
Let the Word speak.
Thurland Year of the Bible, April 3Principles of Law
Today’s reading – Deuteronomy 23:1 – 25:19
I made a bad trade. He was older than me by two years, and yet was in my Grade two class. As the older boy, he was wiser in the “ways of the world”, and as the younger, I was at a distinct disadvantage. On day in question, I had a nice new pocket knife (in the old days, we all carried knives to school), and he had some shiny piece of something or other that for a few minutes, I thought I’d like to have. He offered a trade, I accepted, the property changed hands, and I was immediately sorry. I knew that I had been “had”, but there was nothing I could do about it. I asked to trade back, but he refused, saying "a deal is a deal." And of course he was right.
From that small exchange, I learned the results of having someone take advantage of me. I was hurt, and I was angry, but perhaps the greatest misfortune of it was that I never could fully trust that person again. That was 1960, and to this day I would have to say that I am skeptical of his word.
The book of Deuteronomy is a “repetition of the law”. Laws about our spiritual worship, laws about our family, and laws about how to treat our fellow man. Some of the laws are spelled out in detail, others are broader principles. One of the principles is “Do not take advantage.” Do not use any position of power, (financial, political, positional) to take advantage of another.
In other words, play fair. I think the Golden Rule has something to say about that too. “Do unto others as you would have them to do unto you.” For the sake of the Gospel, don’t take advantage of others.
Let the Word speak.
Thurland
PS – On an “off topic note”, let me get a little political today, and ask you all to pray for the farmers. I know that many people in our country have a feeling that farmers are among the rich, and we joke together about the “poor farmers.” That may (or may not) have been true at one point. Today it is not true. Much has changed in the world-wide picture, and many farmers in Canada, (which includes your neighbors here in Eastern Ontario) are under immense financial pressures. (Did you know that a tractor battery costs more than an ton of corn?) On Wednesday of this week, these peace loving neighbors are gathering on Parliament Hill to draw attention to their situation. Let’s remember that “Farmers Feed Cities”, and pray for their needs. Pray particularly for the witness of the Christian farmers who join them Year of the Bible, March 30GIGO good or GIGO bad?
Today’s reading – Deuteronomy 13:1 – 15:23
GIGO is a “word” coined to describe the inability of computers to function when the user inputs a wrong command. The acronym (meaning “Garbage in, Garbage out”) simply reminds us that what comes out of a computer is directly related to what goes in.
I discovered today that GIGO has another, more sardonic meaning, and is sometimes used to mean “Garbage in, Gospel Out.” Now before you get offended, it does not mean that the Gospel is garbage. It is a “comment on the tendency humans have to put excessive trust in computerized data.” “If we find it on the computer, it must be true.”
Now I’m thinking we could take it the next step, and have it mean “Gospel in, Gospel Out.” The point is the same. What you feed into your computer determines what comes out. What you feed into your spirit, determines what comes out.
In today’s reading from Deuteronomy, you can make one or two choices. You can choose to get lost in a debate over the extreme actions called for as a result of sin, or you can listen to the warnings Moses gives to steer people away from the sin. Be careful of false prophets. Be careful of close friends or family who counsel you to leave God. Be careful not to follow the actions of those who lead people astray.
Be careful which GIGO is yours – Garbage or Gospel.
Let the Word speak.
Thurland |
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