Faithful and Blessings

A reading for Wednesday, October 12, 2016: Deuteronomy 1:34-40; 2:1-8.

Our faithfulness is not to secure God's presence. God is present with us even when we are not faithful. The story in today's lesson highlights the wrath of God at the unfaithfulness of his people as they wandered the desert. Notice, however, that God continues to direct them even in their punishment of continuing to wander the desert. God is still there...

Our faithfulness, and the faithfulness of the Israelites, is in order that God might bless us with all God has in store for us. Our obedience is directly linked to the goodness of God's provision. If we choose to ignore God and do what we want, then is it really God who condemns and punishes, or is it our own "stiff-necked" attitude (to quote another story)? God is there, but we aren't listening.

Perhaps it's a subtle difference. However, as long as God is going along on the journey anyway, would it not make sense to listen for his ways and obey his directions?

Job 36: "26 Surely God is great, and we do not know him; the number of his years is unsearchable. 27 For he draws up the drops of water; he distils his mist in rain, 28 which the skies pour down and drop upon mortals abundantly. 29 Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion? 30 See, he scatters his lightning around him and covers the roots of the sea. 31 For by these he governs peoples; he gives food in abundance. 32 He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark. 33 Its crashing tells about him; he is jealous with anger against iniquity. 37 1‘At this also my heart trembles, and leaps out of its place. 2 Listen, listen to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth. 3 Under the whole heaven he lets it loose, and his lightning to the corners of the earth. 4 After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard. 5 God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend. 6 For to the snow he says, “Fall on the earth”; and the shower of rain, his heavy shower of rain, 7 serves as a sign on everyone’s hand, so that all whom he has made may know it. 8 Then the animals go into their lairs and remain in their dens. 9 From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds. 10 By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast. 11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning. 12 They turn round and round by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world."