This Spring
Break we traveled to Orlando. We have always been a family who enjoys a good
trip to Disney and it always sounds like a great idea until about day 2 then
you can’t help but questions your sanity. The “most magical place on earth” begins to
look a little less “magical.” This year
the teenagers weren’t nearly as excited as they have been in the past, mostly
because well they are teenagers and if the week wasn’t going to consist of binge-watching
Netflix, fortnite marathons, sleep and friends, I am not sure any trip would
have sufficed. About 9 hours into the trip Hamilton, our youngest, proceeded to
throw up all over the floor board. Now I
have a crying 7-year-old who hates being sick, a gagging 15-year-old and a
condescending 17-year-old who was convinced we needed to turn around. We stay
the course and finally make it the house in Orlando, sick one quarantined and
teenagers getting their wish of WIFI and solitude. The illness passed quickly, and we were able
to get the vacation/marathon underway.
Park after park, from Magic Kingdom to Epcot, throwing in a little Universal
Studios and a few character meals, we had a jam-packed week ahead. As we made
our way around I couldn’t help but find several parallels of our Disney
vacation to the story told by Moses starting in Exodus through Deuteronomy. There
was the “grumbling” kids, similar to the grumbling Israelites on a trip to the Promise
land, though this was supposed to be “magical” it comes with a unique set of
obstacles, weather, lines, expense, mass amounts of people (you get very cozy with
strangers while you wait). I couldn’t help but think of Moses often and how in the
world he led all of those people, most of whom complained and were ungrateful
for what God was doing for them for 40 years! I was exhausted leading our small
group of 5, less than I have done in the past when we were all together.
Break we traveled to Orlando. We have always been a family who enjoys a good
trip to Disney and it always sounds like a great idea until about day 2 then
you can’t help but questions your sanity. The “most magical place on earth” begins to
look a little less “magical.” This year
the teenagers weren’t nearly as excited as they have been in the past, mostly
because well they are teenagers and if the week wasn’t going to consist of binge-watching
Netflix, fortnite marathons, sleep and friends, I am not sure any trip would
have sufficed. About 9 hours into the trip Hamilton, our youngest, proceeded to
throw up all over the floor board. Now I
have a crying 7-year-old who hates being sick, a gagging 15-year-old and a
condescending 17-year-old who was convinced we needed to turn around. We stay
the course and finally make it the house in Orlando, sick one quarantined and
teenagers getting their wish of WIFI and solitude. The illness passed quickly, and we were able
to get the vacation/marathon underway.
Park after park, from Magic Kingdom to Epcot, throwing in a little Universal
Studios and a few character meals, we had a jam-packed week ahead. As we made
our way around I couldn’t help but find several parallels of our Disney
vacation to the story told by Moses starting in Exodus through Deuteronomy. There
was the “grumbling” kids, similar to the grumbling Israelites on a trip to the Promise
land, though this was supposed to be “magical” it comes with a unique set of
obstacles, weather, lines, expense, mass amounts of people (you get very cozy with
strangers while you wait). I couldn’t help but think of Moses often and how in the
world he led all of those people, most of whom complained and were ungrateful
for what God was doing for them for 40 years! I was exhausted leading our small
group of 5, less than I have done in the past when we were all together.
“It’s hot”
“It’s cold”
“I am
thirsty”
thirsty”
“I am
hungry”
hungry”
“This line
is too long”
is too long”
“He is
whining again”
whining again”
You get
the idea, non-stop needs. I watched other
families, babies crying, toddlers sleeping, dads fighting strollers, moms
fighting back packs and schedules. There
were loads of smiles, pictures being taken, accompanied by laughter and an equal
amount of frustration and exhaustion amongst everyone. Though you are in a “magical” place your selfish
desires can’t be kept at bay. Though the Israelites are finally at the edge of
the promise land Moses knows he must remind them yet again of where they were
(Egypt as slaves), where they have been (wandering for 40 years) and where they
are headed (the promise land).
the idea, non-stop needs. I watched other
families, babies crying, toddlers sleeping, dads fighting strollers, moms
fighting back packs and schedules. There
were loads of smiles, pictures being taken, accompanied by laughter and an equal
amount of frustration and exhaustion amongst everyone. Though you are in a “magical” place your selfish
desires can’t be kept at bay. Though the Israelites are finally at the edge of
the promise land Moses knows he must remind them yet again of where they were
(Egypt as slaves), where they have been (wandering for 40 years) and where they
are headed (the promise land).
The book
of Deuteronomy is called the “second law,” the review and repeat of all that
God has done for them and the commands in which they are to follow. This book is rooted in love! God’s love for
his people despite their grumbling, defiant ways. Moses love for them to make
sure before he leaves them that they are educated in all they need to know. Plain
and simple, love.
of Deuteronomy is called the “second law,” the review and repeat of all that
God has done for them and the commands in which they are to follow. This book is rooted in love! God’s love for
his people despite their grumbling, defiant ways. Moses love for them to make
sure before he leaves them that they are educated in all they need to know. Plain
and simple, love.
I happened
to be studying Deuteronomy for our Sunday school lesson this week and as I prayed
about what message God wanted me to focus on the most amazing thing happened. On the last day of our trip as we were
gearing up for another trek through the park I noticed an airplane in the sky
writing letters. As we sat watching what
he was spelling slowly but surely the letters L O V E came together. My initial
thought was a possible proposal, what shocked me was when the next letter was
written in the sky and it was a “G.” At this point we were enthralled in what
this message was going to say as the final two letters came together to spell G
O D, I knew right then the message He wanted me to share.
to be studying Deuteronomy for our Sunday school lesson this week and as I prayed
about what message God wanted me to focus on the most amazing thing happened. On the last day of our trip as we were
gearing up for another trek through the park I noticed an airplane in the sky
writing letters. As we sat watching what
he was spelling slowly but surely the letters L O V E came together. My initial
thought was a possible proposal, what shocked me was when the next letter was
written in the sky and it was a “G.” At this point we were enthralled in what
this message was going to say as the final two letters came together to spell G
O D, I knew right then the message He wanted me to share.
“Punctuation
Matters”
Matters”
LOVE GOD. (period)
Deuteronomy
6:4-6
6:4-6
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is
one.[a] 5 Love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These
commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
one.[a] 5 Love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These
commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
We are
commanded to LOVE, love isn’t a noun here, it’s a verb. It’s an action! We
choose to love just as “God so loved the world He gave (chose) His only son”
Loving the way Jesus loved takes effort from us, it’s a choice, not a feeling. Loving
others the way God loved us should lead us to action.
commanded to LOVE, love isn’t a noun here, it’s a verb. It’s an action! We
choose to love just as “God so loved the world He gave (chose) His only son”
Loving the way Jesus loved takes effort from us, it’s a choice, not a feeling. Loving
others the way God loved us should lead us to action.
LOVE GOD! (with excitement)
Verses 7-9
7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them
when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and
when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your
hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them
on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and
when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your
hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them
on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Loving God with excitement is like hopping on the roller coaster
of life passing by the height requirements and trusting the operator. Buckle
up! There will be highs and lows, dips and turns, G-force winds that will throw
you back and stops that will cause your heart to drop. Grab your children tell
them about it, share your “ride” with them so they too can experience what a
thrill it can be to abandon oneself to the creator.
of life passing by the height requirements and trusting the operator. Buckle
up! There will be highs and lows, dips and turns, G-force winds that will throw
you back and stops that will cause your heart to drop. Grab your children tell
them about it, share your “ride” with them so they too can experience what a
thrill it can be to abandon oneself to the creator.
LOVE
GOD? (The question)
GOD? (The question)
Verses 10-15
10 “So it shall be, when the Lord your God brings you into the
land of which He [c]swore
to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful
cities which you did not build, 11 houses
full of all good things, which you did
not fill, hewn-out wells which you
did not dig, vineyards and olive trees
which you did not plant—when you have eaten and are full— 12 then beware,
lest you forget the Lord who
brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 13 You
shall fear the Lord your
God and serve Him and shall take oaths in His name. 14 You
shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all
around you 15 (for the Lord your God is a
jealous God among you),
land of which He [c]swore
to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful
cities which you did not build, 11 houses
full of all good things, which you did
not fill, hewn-out wells which you
did not dig, vineyards and olive trees
which you did not plant—when you have eaten and are full— 12 then beware,
lest you forget the Lord who
brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 13 You
shall fear the Lord your
God and serve Him and shall take oaths in His name. 14 You
shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all
around you 15 (for the Lord your God is a
jealous God among you),
Do you
love him? Really love him, not just in the land of “milk and honey,” but in the
wilderness?
love him? Really love him, not just in the land of “milk and honey,” but in the
wilderness?
He desires
to bring us out of the house of bondage but beware that you do not forget His
love for us. He is a jealous God and does not want us to have other idols
before us. Whether it be work, addiction, desire, our children, anything we put
before God is an idol and if we aren’t careful we will forget to Love God and
we will be wanderers in the wilderness. When we wander by our own doing, we
will then begin to question if this love is really worth it, blaming anyone but
ourselves for our choices.
to bring us out of the house of bondage but beware that you do not forget His
love for us. He is a jealous God and does not want us to have other idols
before us. Whether it be work, addiction, desire, our children, anything we put
before God is an idol and if we aren’t careful we will forget to Love God and
we will be wanderers in the wilderness. When we wander by our own doing, we
will then begin to question if this love is really worth it, blaming anyone but
ourselves for our choices.
LOVE, GOD (His message to us)
Deuteronomy
7:7-9
7:7-9
7 The Lord did
not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more
numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all
peoples. 8 But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors
that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the
land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know
therefore that the Lord your
God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of
love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his
commandments.
not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more
numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all
peoples. 8 But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors
that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the
land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know
therefore that the Lord your
God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of
love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his
commandments.
What if we read scripture as a love letter from God, what
would that sound like? I rewrote the above scriptures as an example.
would that sound like? I rewrote the above scriptures as an example.
Dear loved one,
I have set my affection on
you, I CHOOSE you! Not because of anything you have done or can do. I made a
promise to you and I will keep it, I will lift you up and hold you all the days
of your life. Nothing shall bind you
other than the love I have for you. We are joined together, I am consistently
aware of you, in awe of you and desire what is best for you. Know that I am God, I am faithful and
trustworthy. I created you for a
purpose, you are not to live life in the wilderness but in the promise land that
I have created for you. Love me with all your heart, your soul and your
strength just as I love you.
you, I CHOOSE you! Not because of anything you have done or can do. I made a
promise to you and I will keep it, I will lift you up and hold you all the days
of your life. Nothing shall bind you
other than the love I have for you. We are joined together, I am consistently
aware of you, in awe of you and desire what is best for you. Know that I am God, I am faithful and
trustworthy. I created you for a
purpose, you are not to live life in the wilderness but in the promise land that
I have created for you. Love me with all your heart, your soul and your
strength just as I love you.
Love, God
1 John
4:19 says “We love Him because He FIRST loved us”
4:19 says “We love Him because He FIRST loved us”
This was Moses
farewell speech to the Israelites. What would that look like for you? What lessons
will you leave your children, what will you be remembered for? What legacy will
you leave? Love requires action!
farewell speech to the Israelites. What would that look like for you? What lessons
will you leave your children, what will you be remembered for? What legacy will
you leave? Love requires action!
Just like
a trip to Disney, the journey may be tough, the wait may be long, we may become
parched thirsting for more, the ride may be fast with twists and turns but the
end result, the true “Most magical place” will be worth it.
a trip to Disney, the journey may be tough, the wait may be long, we may become
parched thirsting for more, the ride may be fast with twists and turns but the
end result, the true “Most magical place” will be worth it.
What punctuation
are you adding to LOVE GOD?
are you adding to LOVE GOD?
Until Next Time,
Courtney