'Oh, that their hearts
would be inclined
to fear Me
and keep all My commands always,
so that it might go well with them
and their children forever.' "
(Deuteronomy 5:28-29)
This morning didn't begin so well for my daughter. As she left for school today, she pulled out a "green slip" for us to sign. A green slip is not a disciplinary action, but it is an admonishment, giving the student and the parents fair warning that some assignment was uncompleted, some responsibility was unfulfilled, or some standard was violated.
The egregious thing about this morning's revelation was our daughter's calculation in presenting it to us just prior to leaving for school. It had been in her possession since Friday, but she neglected to mention it throughout the long weekend, during the time when we were reviewing her assignments, and before she had enjoyed her weekend privileges. And, it's not the first time she "forgot" to mention a green slip or substandard test score until the last minute.
We were not amused. As a matter of fact, her deliberate deception cost her all of her privileges for a period of time still to be determined by her dad and me. It also resulted in a parent-teacher conference scheduled for this Friday, initiated by my husband this morning after he drove her to school.
Is she a bad kid? No. On the contrary, she is a wonderful girl, who just happens to be in her first year of middle school. Oy vey. Some people say that this kind of thing is "normal" for preteens and teenagers. We say that nothing "normal" or "average" about the world applies to Christians. We say that nothing below the gifts, abilities, and expectations that the Lord has for her is okay. And, so, after exercising repeated mercy and grace, her actions have wrought her consequences.
We do not like to discipline her. We love her and want only the best for her. It hurts us to punish her. But, precisely because we do love and want the best for her, God requires that we teach her and discipline her when necessary.
I shake my head sometimes, lamenting and thinking, "Oh, child, child. What are you doing? If you'd just listen to us and heed our instructions, you'd save yourself a lot of grief. Your life would be so easy if you'd just live within our guidelines and do the right thing."
It gives me compassion for Jesus, and at least a tiny taste of how He felt, when He mourned over Jerusalem: " 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.' " (Matthew 23:37; see also Luke 13:34).
Jesus grieved over His people, lamenting their disregard for His Truth and love, bemoaning the knowledge of the corresponding consequences of their choices, wanting them to accept the relative ease, safety, and protection He provided. " 'Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.' " (Matthew 11:28-30).
I also see God's similar plea in the Scripture that begins today's reflection. " 'Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear Me and keep all My commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!' " (Deuteronomy 5:29).
Moses implored, "... be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess." (Deuteronomy 5:32-33). "Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you. Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 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. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. When the LORD your God brings you into the land He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, Who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only and take your oaths in his name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the LORD your God, Who is among you, is a jealous God and His anger will burn against you, and He will destroy you from the face of the land. Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah. Be sure to keep the commands of the LORD your God and the stipulations and decrees He has given you. Do what is right and good in the LORD's sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers, thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the LORD said. In the future, when your son asks you, 'What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?' tell him: 'We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes the LORD sent miraculous signs and wonders—great and terrible—upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. But He brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that He promised on oath to our forefathers. The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.' " (Deuteronomy 6).
Sadly, we know that most did not fear the Lord, nor did they live in obedience to Him. That is another post for another day, but, suffice it to say that out of all whom the Lord saved from Egyptian bondage, only Caleb and Joshua inherited the promised land (reference Numbers 13:1-6, 30; 14:24, 30, 38; 27:65; 32:10-12; 33:50-56; Deuteronomy 1:36). The marked difference, specifically in Caleb as the Lord highlights, was a matter of the heart. " 'I have forgiven them ... Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, not one of the men who saw My glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times--not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated Me with contempt will ever see it. But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.' " (Numbers 14:20-24; my highlighted emphasis).
Beloved, the Lord is mourning over us even now, calling us to return to Him with childlike (although maybe not middle-school-aged!) faith and trust, urging us to repent of our waywardness, wooing us to come clean, imploring us to release what we think we best for what He knows is best. Why do we insist on rebelliously and short-sightedly clinging to that which does not satisfy? The Lord has blessings prepared for us, but we can not receive them unless we are willing to walk through this earthly life on His terms. " 'Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.' " (Matthew 7:13-14).
That Scripture from Matthew reminds me a scene from the movie, Facing the Giants. It's one of my (and my daughter's) favorite scenes in the movie. In it, one of the assistant football coaches is helping train the new kicker, who tends to kick everywhere around the goal ... but never through it. "Listen son," the coach says. "You act like you're gonna miss before you even kick the ball. You're kicking it wide left and wide right. Anybody can kick it wide left and wide right. My momma can kick it wide left and wide right, but that ain't what's gonna get you home. You gotta kick it through the middle. It don't have to look pretty; it don't have to look smooth. It can look like a dying' duck, but the ball has got to go through the middle. You're gonna have to choose the narrow way, because that's the only way you'll get your reward. Now kick this ball through these pearly posts!" (My paraphrase. :-) And, if you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it!)
It is good that the Lord mourns for us; it shows His intense love. But, precious ones, we should be the ones in mourning. Let us lament the grief that we have caused to our loving Father. " 'Even now," declares the LORD, 'return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity.' " (Joel 2:12-13).
As I close today's reflection, I remember that tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the historical day of repentance beginning the Lenten season. How very appropriate. :-) (And, by the way, Katy is now home from school and working very diligently on her homework. She's not wearing sackcloth and ashes, but she did earnestly apologize for her lack of diligence and said, "Mom. I'm not fooling around anymore." Oh, that we could say the same to our Father!) May the new morning bring good mourning.
Precious Father, I thank You for Your mercy, grace, and love, and I ask Your forgiveness for the times when I stray to the left or to the right. I pray, Lord, to remain wholehearted in my devotion and obedience to You, and I ask for the guidance of Your Spirit to keep me on the narrow way. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Your perfect Son and my perfect Savior. Amen.
talked with each other,
and the LORD listened and heard.
A scroll of remembrance was written
in His presence
concerning those who feared the LORD
and honored His name.
'They will be mine,' says the LORD Almighty,
'in the day when I make up
My treasured possession.
I will spare them,
just as in compassion
a man spares his son who serves him.
And you will again see
the distinction between
the righteous and the wicked,
between those who serve God
and those who do not.' "
(Malachi 3:16-18)
For further reflection on this topic, see also ...
How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!
Copyright 2009. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.
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