Corona Devo 461

The more I read the Old Testament, the more akin I feel to the Israelites. Their adventures, their faith-journey, their bondage (and then their freedom), and their fluctuations between worshiping the Lord and being ungrateful to Him---It is the story of us too!

Deuteronomy 26 shares God's "How-To" Guide for a fulfilled life. Of course we each have our unique situations, challenges and blessings, but these verses paint the life of a Christ-follower in broad strokes that all of us can relate to, take comfort in, and be encouraged by.

“When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you as a special possession and you have conquered it and settled there, (2) put some of the firstfruits from each crop you harvest into a basket and bring it to the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored. (3) Go to the priest in charge at that time and say to him, ‘With this gift I acknowledge to the Lord your God that I have entered the land he swore to our ancestors he would give us.’ (4) The priest will then take the basket from your hand and set it before the altar of the Lord your God. ~Deuteronomy 26:1-4).

The idea of "giving back to God" is a biggie in our faith-walk. God loves us so much, and He blesses us so much, and it is important to Him that we acknowledge where and from Whom all of our gifts have come: Him. We do this by consecrating ourselves/our "firstfruits"/a portion of our income to Him. We can do this in a variety of methods and ways, but God's advice to the Israelites is still remarkably current for us: put some of the firstfruits from each crop you harvest into a basket and bring it to the designated place of worship (Deuteronomy 26:2).

I am not sure if they are back to "passing the basket" at your church, per the Covid protocols, but we need to find the "basket" at our designated place of worship, and God reminds and instructs us to give back to Him and to do it first.

What's the point or purpose of doing so? With this gift I acknowledge to the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 26:3) that He has a plan for our lives. That He had a plan for our ancestors lives, and those before them, and that He has a plan for those that will come after us. God has a plan, and we get to be a part of it. And us bringing our first fruits exemplifies the honor and place that God holds in our hearts.

(5) “You must then say in the presence of the Lord your God, ‘My ancestor Jacob was a wandering Aramean who went to live as a foreigner in Egypt. His family arrived few in number, but in Egypt they became a large and mighty nation. (6) When the Egyptians oppressed and humiliated us by making us their slaves, (7) we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors. He heard our cries and saw our hardship, toil, and oppression. (8) So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and powerful arm, with overwhelming terror, and with miraculous signs and wonders. (9) He brought us to this place and gave us this land flowing with milk and honey! (10) And now, O Lord, I have brought you the first portion of the harvest you have given me from the ground.’ Then place the basket before the Lord your God, and bow to the ground in worship before him. ~Deuteronomy 26:5-10

Impactful pieces of our spiritual journey and growth are borne as a result of our emotional, physical, mental and spiritual struggles. In "processing" of all that we have endured/come through, we will inevitably see God's hand as He led us through.

All of us have a story, and in these verses (and repeatedly in the Bible), God teaches us to remember our journey and God's presence throughout it. Remember the path that led us to today, which included hardship, but also includes freedom from hardships and victory over strongholds.

The Bible exists to retell the stories of people that all of us can relate to, take comfort in, and be encouraged by. And then we can see the parallel between their stories and faith journeys and ours.

Just as Jacob...went to live as a foreigner in Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed and humiliated us by making us their slaves... (Deuteronomy 26:5-6), you and I have journeyed through difficult passages in our lives too. Whether physical, emotional or spiritual oppression and humiliation, all of us have been pinned down under the weight of something at some point in our lives. Some of us are pinned down and immobilized by something today.

Where can we turn? What is the point? Is there any hope?

Cry out to the Lord.

...we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors. He heard our cries... ~Deuteronomy 26:7

Go ahead. Lay it all out for Him. Nothing changes until we let go of our false sense of control and become vulnerable. Get real with God today. Cry out to the Lord, and He will hear our cries, and He will bring us out with a strong hand and powerful arm (Deuteronomy 26:8)

It's a humbling process.  The steps are clear but living-them-out is messy.  And we will not always get it right.  Just ask the Israelites.  

But the Israelites didn't give up, they persevered imperfectly, but afterward, they celebrated the whole process.

Afterward you may go and celebrate because of all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household. Remember to include the Levites and the foreigners living among you in the celebration. ~Deuteronomy 26:11

I love this verse because it gives believers permission to party. We've come through hard things. We've had messed-up pasts/people/and particulars, but the Lord brought us out (Deuteronomy 26:8), we learned a few things, and now we have license to celebrate.

It is good to honor God first with our hearts and gifts. It is good to remember, retell, and remind ourselves and others about what God has brought us through and brought us to.

And we are given permission (by God) to enjoy the outcome of our latest faith cycle: It is good to celebrate because of all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household, and we can include others in the party (Remember to include the Levites and the foreigners living among you in the celebration. ~Deuteronomy 26:11).

Our stories and the stories of the Israelites are separated by time, but not by meaning and purpose.

Deuteronomy 26 reveals God's "How-To" Guide for a fulfilled life and all of us can relate, take comfort, and be encouraged by the striking resemblance we hold to our faith "cousins", the Israelites.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com