Wednesday 23 November 2022
- Bible Book:
- Deuteronomy
the Lord’s own portion was his people, Jacob his allotted share. He sustained him in a desert land, in a howling wilderness waste; he shielded him, cared for him, guarded him as the apple of his eye. (vs 9-10)
Background
One of my favourite hymns is the one that starts ‘Born in song! God’s people have always been singing’ (Singing the Faith 21), and certainly the saying that ‘Methodism was born in song’ is true as so many Methodist hymns reflect and speak of the faith of worshippers.
In today's reading we find Moses reciting a song for the people. (At 120 perhaps he was not up to singing!)
In that hymn we find praise to God, exaltation of all that God is and was, and will become (vs 1-4). We find acknowledgement of human nature and its failure to be all that God might want it to be (vs 5, 6). We find the faithfulness of God (vs 7-9) and God’s provision for the people (vs 10, 11) and we find the presence and forgiveness of God carrying the people on their journey and providing for their needs (vs 12-14).
In all of human need and experience God is present and Moses reminds the people to remember this, hold on to it and learn from the past as they journey onwards and give thanks to the God who is with them.
To Ponder:
- An idle question perhaps, but what is your favourite hymn and why?
- Where have you encountered God and how did that affect your onward journey through life?
Prayer
Living, loving Lord, draw close today as I continue my journey of faith and life. Be my guide and daily reality so that I may praise your name with all that I am and remember your faithfulness to me. Amen.