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Going Nowhere Fast

READ: Deuteronomy 4:1-10

Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen. —Deuteronomy 4:9

I walked as fast as possible. Worked up quite a sweat, in fact. After about a mile, I broke into a jog and then ran as hard as I could. Finally, after about 25 minutes, I stopped. My heart was pounding. My shirt was soaked. But I had gone nowhere. I had just done 2.5 miles on the treadmill.

After I cooled off, I sat down with my Bible. I was following a reading schedule and the selection for the day was from the book of Numbers. I read some of it slowly and some faster, but I felt at times that I wasn’t getting anywhere—like I was back on the treadmill. Censuses were taken. The long journey was recapped. The tribes were listed and relisted. The next day, I moved into Deuteronomy. More wanderings. More about the Israelites and their land.

But when I got to chapter 4, I was told why all that recapping was important. Moses told the people not to “forget the things your eyes have seen . . . . Teach them to your children” (4:9). The previous reading was not about Israel going nowhere fast. It was about training, about a lesson in using God’s past workings as instruction for future godly living.

All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God. So even when it may seem unimportant—keep reading. Sometimes we have to be patient to realize its full purpose.

Search the Scriptures’ precious store—

As a miner digs for ore,

Search, and you will surely find

Treasures to enrich the mind. —Anon.

God speaks to us through His Word; take time to listen.

I had to smile as I read this devotional this morning.

Each year I try to do a little something different for my devotion time. I have enjoyed John MacArthur's "Drawing Near" and "Strength for Today" and have a couple different "Walk through the Bible in a Year" devotionals...which is what I chose again for this year. I also like getting up and checking email and popping in on the Daily Bread which is where this and a lot of my blog devotionals come from.

As I read this, it reminds me of some of those mornings ...like reading through a passage in Numbers and after reading for five minutes...I couldn't remember a thing I had just read. I let my mind wander. It would make me disgusted with myself, because I know it is there for a reason and I would make myself go back and read it again.

A few years ago, our Sunday School class went through the book of Numbers and I couldn't believe how interesting it was to go through. Just like this devotion said.....it is a lesson for us using God's past workings as instruction for future Godly living...I just need to take time to listen!! =)