184 The Baton is Passed (Deut 31)

So I found the second eldest child of the family, Jacob, standing in front of the fridge, door open, peering intently inside.
"What cha doing?" I enquire.
"Just looking."
"See anything you like?"
"Nope."
Now at the point I'm not expecting the miraculous appearance of a cake or roast chicken or pudding or fudge or anything similar.
But it would appear, I was the only one.
Then, as I watched the door not close, I realised.
This has happened before.
Many, many times.
As the soft light shone forth from within the white, cold keeper of cold things, I still was realising
the baton had been passed on.
From father, to son.
As it should.
It's true what they say of the circle of life.
Something, something, something Hakuna Matata, something, oh, oh, aaahhhh, aahhh, oh, something

Deuteronomy 31
Moses almost last words to the people were
"Be strong and courageous."
To Joshua
"Be strong and courageous."
Daunting words to hear.
Because the implication is..............
Well, you know, stuff's going to happen where you need to be strong and courageous.

It was a big day for Moses, the final commands from God.
He is told he will die soon.
Finishes writing the book of the law.
120th birthday celebrations.
Composes a hit song........
With the wisdom of someone of 119 years, he warns the people that their willingness to rebel against God will have a high price.
He probably told them to speak up, stop playing loud music and get off his lawn as well.
It's not in the passage, but I think you could sort of infer that it happened.
Just like that.

A new chapter is about to begin for the Israelites.
And I'm not talking about number 32.

183 The Word is Near so You can Do It (Deut 30)

I've been sucked into looking at some meme's lately.
The fact that I know the word "meme" instantly increases my coolness factor.
The fact that I think I have a coolness factor, reduces it.
Sigh. Caught in a neverending cycle of cool,not cool, cool.........................
Anyway, these meme's involve a picture of a dog dressed up like a lawyer.
A dog dressed up like a lawyer leaning over a desk, with it's paw on what looks like a legal book.
That's it.
Except for the witty remarks that have a penchant for cracking me up.

"I've been a lawyer since 2010.  That's right 14 years experience."

"You can't afford my lawyer fees?  That's ok, I'll work pro bone-o."

"So your owner played fetch with you, but pretended to throw the ball?  Sounds like a strong case for fraud."

"Maybe it's because I'm a dog.  But this case looks pretty black and white to me."

"There are a few preliminaries before I accept your case.  First of all, I'll have to sniff your butt."

Hilarious stuff.
Tears rolling down my face right now.
Ribs aching.




I guess you need to see the pictures..............................

Deuteronomy 30
v11-14 "For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.
It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'
Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'
But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. 



God won't expect you to do something you can't.
Not just what you think you can't.
Not what you don't want to do.
What you can't.
He knows better than even ourselves what we're capable of.
What we're able to do.
Which is nice to know when you are facing an impossible, make that seemingly impossible, situation.
Each situation that confronts us, we have some way to deal with it.
Provided by God.
There is that moment though when you just need to do something.
Sometimes anything will do.
Sometimes.
Even just have faith.

182 Not a False Dawn (Deut 29)

I don't even know what that means.
"A false dawn".
I can imagine it now.
The sun rises gloriously, it's rays peeking out over the sleeping hills.
(The real big mounds of dirt and rock hills, not us)
Just as the flowers get ready to burst forth into beautiful blooms,
Just as the rooster struts out to sing out his melodious call........
The sun stops yells a random "gotcha"
And sinks back into darkness for another 20 minute shut eye.
A faint "back soon" can almost be heard above the collective "huhs?"
Anyway if that is a false dawn, this isn't it.

Man, now I feel all vampirey or something.
I think my skin is becoming pale.
I long for tomato juice.
My thoughts are getting too odd and I haven't even started to write what I wanted to.
Sigh.
And I really could do a tomato juice now.

I have missed this process.

Deuteronomy 29
The end of this chapter talks of the anger of God towards those who deny him.
Those who saw the miracles from Egypt and still deny him.
Who are stubborn.
Proud.
The punishment is hard.
The punishment is swift.
Yet the early parts of the chapter show that anger doesn't equate to not caring.
Disobedience has a consequence.
Always.
Yet is is not a sign of lack of love or care.
The Israelites had to wander for 40 years because of their lack of belief in God. But, God cared for them through this process.
Nothing wore out.
Not sandles.
Not clothes.
Wait. What!
Not sandles????
Walking in the wilderness.
For 40 years.
Not the sandles.
Grosby eat your heart out.

God's love is unquestionable.
God's care of His people, then and now, is also unquestionable.

Well, I guess you could actually question it.
If you wanted.
But the answer would be.......... Yes He does.