“Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them,
because it is the Lord your God who goes with you;
he will not fail you or forsake you.” (NRSV Deut. 31:6)
16 Blogs in my first year! When I went live on Jan 6, 2021 I could not have picked a worse day to seek media attention for issues of faith and citizenship. But that does not deter me. I have goals and dreams for this blog, and this verse from Deuteronomy inspires me to keep on keeping on even while I know in my heart that many who call themselves Patriots would also cling to this verse for what I would consider questionable motives and actions. Our country remains divided, and the struggle with authoritarianism continues in this democratic republic. Do folks who use this verse for their political motivation really understand the context of Moses’ words?
Let’s review some Biblical history: In Chapter 3 of Deuteronomy, we see Moses standing on Mount Pisgah looking into Canaan. God has told him that he will not enter the promised land. Moses had led this ethnic group of people out of slavery in Egypt through 40 years of trial and training in the desert to finally bring them to the brink of a land God would empower them to conquer to become a nation. But it will be Joshua who leads them from the West side of the Jordan River into the promised land. Chapters 4 through 30 of Deuteronomy records a long message from Moses about what this God of theirs requires for victory in the promised land. This includes obedience to the 10 commandments, and all the laws, ordinances, and the summary of them in the Shema. There was ample warning of punishment for failure to obey. The author of this book is called the Deuteronomic Historian by scholars, and he had a strong prejudice for Moses’ teachings as his people’s foundational relationship with God. There is an understanding of God’s grace (refuge cities for those who accidentally killed another human being were created), and God’s requirement for devotion with motivation best expressed in the Shema: “Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself.” This is the main gift of the chosen people to the other tribes on earth. In all the power struggles of life, God still wants to be the main authority and requires ethical and moral relationships between human beings that recognize God as the ultimate power in the universe.
I sometime wonder what Moses thought about not being able to enter the promised land. He shared no real reason God denied him this pleasure. He accepts God’s decision and ordains Joshua to succeed him. This is the essence of obedience to God. And it is the foundational faith behind today’s theme Bible verse. There is no real political motivation. It’s all about God. It was then and should be now too. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and your neighbor as yourself. With this simple creed, God will create a community that lives in peace with justice for all.
On the first anniversary of my blog, I will carry on as I get inspiration to write in the hopes it will be helpful to those who wish to read it. The Triune God knows my heart and my love for God, family, tribe, and the democratic republic where I was born and raised. I accept the freedom I have with the responsibility required to promote justice in my community. I will keep the faith in this 21st century and trust God to show me how to act without fear in strength and boldness and also, in moral and ethical ways that honor God’s requirements for justice and mercy. I trust in God’s forgiveness and in the promise of eternal life in some other form as God pleases. Sure I could have picked a better day to start blogging but maybe this was God’s plan all along…
And maybe it was God’s plan all along to choose a small group of slaves to love and to teach about how to relate to God and one another in truth and love, and
That truly understanding the human heart, God would know these humans could not really keep the covenant and would have to receive the promised punishment, and
To “punish them” by spreading this chosen tribe to other nations in the hopes they might teach other people about God and
After centuries of humans running around in circles of power plays of war and oppression, God would get more personal and send Messiah to show strength in human weakness and leadership in servanthood that would confound and distraught the religious and political leaders of the day, causing the death of the “King of The Jews” and
What if God resurrected this death Messiah to prove God’s power over evil and death, and
What if all the Triune God really wants is for all humans to choose to relate to God in love and obedience so that they can enjoy a successful and fulfilling life on a blue/green planet together, and
What if Jesus will really return someday (only God knows for sure when) to finally show us what this rule of God on earth looks like?
For Your consideration:
!. What is your Mount Pisgah? What is the thing you trusted you would be able to do, but it just hasn’t happened? Are you at peace about that? Do you need to pray for it to happen God’s way or for you to have peace and trust God’s will in this desire and the circumstances?
2. What is your tribe? Do you know the people your family came from and what their alleged strengths and weaknesses are in the human family? How does knowing this affect your civic life? What is the “sin” of your tribe against the human family? How can you be an active force to correct your tribes’ failings and promote justice in the world?
3. How do you relate to the Shema? Is it a meaningful mantra for you?