Today Daily Devotional

This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced on the Israelites before his death.

— Deuteronomy 33:1

In Moses’ blessing to Israel he reveals his desires, observations, and beliefs about what God would do for his people. We can imagine the sincerity and boldness in Moses’ voice. He would soon die, and they would soon enter the promised land.

The church is a royal priesthood, called to be a community of blessing (1 Peter 2:9). We are recipients and givers of God’s blessings. A blessing can be formal or informal, giving comfort, encouragement, peace, and hope for the present going into the future. Our informal blessings can include our possessions, family members, friends, neighbors, home, job, neighborhood, community, and more. A formal blessing can be delivered in a worship service, as a pastor invites the people to receive a benediction (“good word”) from the Lord.

We can give sincere, Spirit-led informal blessings to our brothers and sisters in Christ. These may be inspired by what we desire for a person’s good; what we have observed about their life, work, and spiritual gifts; and what we believe God can do in their life.

Our brothers and sisters need our blessings, and we do well to give them. Ask the Spirit to be aware of where blessings are needed and how to encourage someone with them. The Spirit of God will guide our thoughts and words.

Father God, thank you for our community of blessing. Use us to bless others by extending your love, joy, peace, and hope. In Jesus, Amen.

“They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long. . . .”

— Deuteronomy 32:47

We assembled in the seminary chapel for “The Last Word,” a sermon from a retiring professor. The professor preached as if it were his last sermon. It was what we needed to hear to live faithful lives in Christ. Similarly, Moses’ “last words” to God’s people Israel were not just idle words; they were life.

God’s words enable us to live in the world as his children, not as children of the world. They are active and living words that give life to our entire being. We learn who we are and what God requires of us.

God’s words nourish our souls, transform and renew our minds, and strengthen our hearts. Living words build our faith and give us wisdom for making godly decisions. They open our eyes to good and evil in the world. They lead us in paths of righteousness.

God’s words teach us about him and play a vital role in welcoming his presence and worshiping him. God’s words ignite a fire in us to love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31).

The power of God’s words convicts us to ask for forgiveness and receive it from others.

When we pray, we converse with the living Word.

We are blessed to hear and keep God’s Word.

Heavenly Father, help us to proclaim the power of your Word. Your words are not idle words. They are life. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

He . . . fed [his people] with the fruit of the fields. He nourished [them] with honey from the rock. . . .

— Deuteronomy 32:13

We will never be satisfied with anything in life unless we have God, the Rock, who provides for all our needs.

In many ways, life is like a wilderness—especially when we are dealing with loss, sickness, unmet dreams, and other kinds of challenging circumstances. We are hungry, afraid, lonely, empty, and without hope in the wilderness. We search in vain for ways to satisfy our needs. Some people think their situation would be better if they were single, or married; if they had children, or no children; or if they had a different career, went to a better school, lived in a different place, and so on. We look for provisions and satisfaction in the wrong places.

Though life has its challenges, God reveals himself and gives us what we need to endure. The honey we receive from the Rock is sweet to the soul. It heals, sustains, and comforts. Sometimes it works beyond our understanding. Even when things fall apart all around us, we can say, “It is well with my soul.” We can keep saying, “God is good. All the time.”

We know we cannot make it in life without the Rock. We know where our help comes from (see Psalm 121). When we “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8), we are always blessed in the wilderness of life. God is right there with us.

Help me, Lord, to remember that honey from the Rock keeps my soul alive and well. You are the Rock in the weary land of life. Thank you for always being there. In Jesus, Amen.

Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.

— Deuteronomy 32:7

Whether we are young or old, new to faith in God or lifelong believers, we can be inspired by the trails of God’s faithfulness in long-past generations. Those generations may include our families, churches, communities, and various peoples around the world. They can reach back to our spiritual ancestors in the Bible. Evidence of God’s faithfulness has always been with us. We may recall past stories of joy and pain, gain and loss, light and darkness. We may also write books and articles, set up memorials, make movies, have family reunions, and celebrate anniversaries to mark our history. All of these can help us grow to know God, ourselves, and others.

God wants us to keep our long past in view so that we can understand our present. Learning about our history helps us to acknowledge what God has done for us and to look ahead in hope, trusting that God’s goodness will follow us always.

With God’s help, we will remember, tell, and explain our story to others who have not heard about the Lord. May the Spirit unite us for intergenerational conversations with our family members, neighbors, friends, and others in our church, school, and other community settings. May we have the humility to listen and share so that we can see and tell of God’s faithfulness to all generations.

“O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,” help us share and learn about your loving care always. Amen.

“Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law.”

— Deuteronomy 31:12

Years ago, on a mission trip to Nassau in the Bahamas, I saw a man holding a Bible and speaking at a podium in a downtown marketplace. Several other people stood there too, and folding chairs were set out.

I walked over to see what they were doing. They were hosting a marathon of the public reading of Scripture, a 24-hour nonstop event. During that day I returned twice and was invited to read each time. For me, it was an incredible experience of reading God’s Word.

The apostle Paul urged Timothy to devote himself to “the public reading of Scripture” along with preaching and teaching (1 Timothy 4:13). I found that this often-overlooked spiritual exercise allowed me to hear God’s Word afresh, with various voices reading and without commentary. We were able to read and listen with others in the community.

Hearing and learning the Bible together is a good spiritual practice for people of all ages. Life can be busy and full. We all need to hear and engage with God’s Word, which has so much to teach about God and his love for us, and how we can shine the light of God’s love into the darkness of this world. In what ways can you participate in reading Scripture in order to share God’s Word with others?

Lord, thank you for the public reading of Scripture. By your Word, may we grow in faith and glorify your name. Amen.

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.

— Deuteronomy 29:29

As we read and reflect on this passage about God’s covenant and what he has revealed to his people, we understand that we don’t know everything. God has chosen not to reveal everything to us. We do not have access to all things.

We can think of many reasons why God does not tell us everything. He is God, after all, the one who created us. As his creatures, we cannot be God. His thoughts and ways are not ours, and they are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). God calls us to have faith in him, and our faith can grow deeper when we do not understand God’s ways and thoughts. As believers, we learn to trust his guidance.

The Spirit opens our minds to understand things about God. As believers, we are blessed abundantly because the Spirit of God comes to live within us. “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God . . . no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us” (1 Corinthians 2:10-12). We can trust the Spirit to teach us what we need to know, and we can trust that the Lord, who knows all things, will keep us in his care and will always keep his promises.

Spirit of God, thank you for helping us understand what has been revealed to us. Help us to be at peace in knowing that we do not know everything but that you know all things. Amen.

You are a people holy to the Lord your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the Lord has chosen you to be his treasured possession.

— Deuteronomy 14:2

Where do we fit in the world? Sometimes our circumstances may cause us to wonder where we belong and why we are here. We may find ourselves in situations where people try to define us based on their own life experiences or what they have observed in us. We can become confused because we do not have a clear sense of purpose or meaning in life.

Though Deuteronomy 14:2 refers to the ancient Israelites, we know that in Christ we are God’s treasured possession today. We are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that [we] may declare the praises of him who called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). We were once lost, but we have been called by God himself.

Knowing who has chosen us and whom we belong to makes a difference in our lives. It shows up in our worship. As God’s treasured possession, we worship him. We declare his praises in our hearts, in the presence of others, and in public worship. As we mature in Christ, we grow to worship him with all our heart and soul, our innermost being. And this is reflected outwardly as we share our faith with others. As the Lord’s church, we “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20). God is building his kingdom through the work of his chosen people.

Father, thank you for making us your treasured possession. Help each of us as your children to live a life worthy of our calling. In Jesus, Amen.

. . . observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good . . .

— Deuteronomy 10:13

Think about the many things you may not have wanted to do or liked to do, but you did them anyway because it was for your own good. Growing up, you might have had a long list of undesirable things that your parents asked you to do. And maybe you heard them say, “You’ll be glad you did this.” I ate my vegetables because my mom said they were good for me.

We don’t always want to do what God says is good for us. It can be difficult to engage in some things that God asks us to do, but they are in our best interest. Jesus calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). We are called to put up with one another and forgive if we have a grievance with someone (Colossians 3:13). We put off the old self and put on the new self to be like the Lord in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24). These commands can be really complicated.

God’s Word is more than a list of rules. We believe what God asks of us in his Word. We don’t have to face these complicated teachings on our own. We have the help of the Holy Spirit and the community of God’s people. God’s love and example motivate us to be victorious, even when that can be difficult!

Righteous God, help me always to do what is right, that I may glorify you. May your love motivate me to be victorious. In Jesus, Amen.

What does the Lord . . . ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve [him] . . . with all your heart and . . . soul . . . ?

— Deuteronomy 10:12

There are many examples of servanthood. The best model is Jesus. He showed his disciples how to serve one another by washing their feet. On the night before he died, he took a towel and a bowl of water and assumed the role of a servant (John 13:1-17). In that way Jesus showed his disciples love and humility. He cared about how they related to one another. He cared about the example that they would set for others. He called them to serve others just as he came to serve.

We are called to serve with all our heart and soul and without judging, showing discrimination, or expecting payback. God blesses humility, compassion, righteousness, and pure motives. He cares about how we relate to each other. And we all need help in learning how to serve.

No matter where we serve, we can reflect Jesus’ character and act as an example to the world. The song “Make Me a Servant” is a beautiful prayer and vision of being called to serve with all our heart and soul for our witness in the world and for God’s glory:

Make me a servant, humble and meek.

Lord, let me lift up those who are weak.

And may the prayer of my heart always be . . .

Make me a servant today.

Lord, strengthen me to serve you with all my heart and all my soul for your glory and to be a witness in this world. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

What does the Lord . . . ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve [him] . . . with all your heart and . . . soul . . . ?

— Deuteronomy 10:12

It seems so natural to love God because he first loved me (John 13:34; 1 John 4:19). But I remember when I didn’t love God with all my heart and soul. In that way each one of us is like the ancient Israelites. There are people, things, and situations that compete for our love and attention. They often start subtly and cause our love for God to shift, fluctuate, and fragment.

Our love for God is a response to his love for us. Obedience is an excellent indicator of our love. Jesus told his disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commands” (John 14:15). Love for God and obedience to God are inseparable. We know that loving God goes beyond words. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we follow the Lord by leaving our old life behind. Life is no longer all about us but about our love relationship with the Lord.

We deepen our love by getting to know God’s character, who he is, his ways, and what he does. We do this by reading the Bible, observing God’s presence in our lives, and being around people who love him.

I remember when Deacon John and Claire invited me for a meal at their home. John was a quiet, stoic type. Before he prayed, he read aloud from the book of Psalms. Tears came to his eyes as he read about God and his goodness. Love comes from a heart of gratitude.

Loving Father, I love you and want to love you with all my heart and soul. Thank you for your love. In Jesus, Amen.