Your email preview

“Remember how the Lord led you…?” Deuteronomy 8:2

Sorry, I’ve gotten intrigued by this book right now and I keep finding something else to write about as Moses wraps up his ministry and offers his parting counsel. I found another thing to “remember” this morning. “Remember how the Lord led you?” I almost wish, as I “remembered” how God had led them, that it might have been a pretty story like a shepherd gently leading his sheep to pasture, playing his harp as He watched the prized possessions pleasantly eating grass and laying down in the cool shade beside the babbling brook. But no—what he asked them to remember was how God led them 40 years in the wilderness! I got to spend some time, I even slept a night in a tent, out in the “wilderness” where they wandered for all those years and trust me—it’s NOT pleasant grass, cool shade and a babbling brook!

But, true to my axiom, if it’s important to God, it’s clear in His word, Moses gives 4 reasons why God led them through the dessert and not paradise for 40 years:

To humble them
To test them
To know what was in their hearts
To see if they would follow and obey Him, even when, or maybe especially when, it was a wilderness and not a peaceful pasture.

I don’t learn much about my life when everything is going nicely; I learn a LOT about my life when it’s not! So when things go “not as expected or desired,” what is my response? Complain? Give up? Or learn what God has for me to learn? Maybe it’s up to me how long I need to spend in “the wilderness!”

Have a great day learning what God wants you to learn in life,
Pastor Rich

Quote for the day: “The mouth is the grocer’s friend, the dentist’s fortune, the orator’s pride and the fool’s trap.”

PS Operation Christmas Child is almost here and we’re looking for someone who has a passion to help us organize and facilitate this event. It’s all about packing shoeboxes full of goodies for kids in war-torn or famine-stricken places around the world. It’s great fun and a great way to do something for someone else. Contact Pastor Rich if you are interested in helping us make it happen again this year. Last year we packed over 200 boxes!!

PPS Looking for community service hours for your classes. Please let us know of your need and we’ll try and help you find something. I know it’s hard during COVID but we’ll do our best to help.