Deuteronomy 3 - God's Got Your Back

Time after time, God seems to be teaching the Isrealites the same lesson - God can be trusted but their ways cannot. God chose this little nation and grew them to great numbers and fought for them to prove to Israel they served a mighty God who would provide for their needs and to show the nations around them that God is worthy of their worship and respect. 

This chapter details the defeat of King Og and the 60 cities he ruled. One by one, lands were given to Israel and they were beginning to divide the territory. God saw them through so many obstacles; only their rebellion and lack of faith caused them to suffer. 

When we God's people will make Knowing God's ways and patterning our lives after those ways we can be sure God will have our backs. I love verse 22 of this chapter,

"Do not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God will personally fight for you." I know fear of reactions grips me when I want to witness for The Lord. I don't want to be rejected or seen as fanatical. So I keep quiet and pray and hope for an opportunity for a real heart to heart. How much misery do I bear as a result?  The lessons God had for Isreal are ours too if we will embrace them and learn from them. God has our back if we are walking in His way.  At the end of this chapter, Moses is denied his request to step over the Jordan and enter the promised land on the other side. God had other plans for Moses and Joshua was chosen to assume authority. God's ways are not always our own. When we pray and ask for something that is contrary to God's plan we can expect that we will not be allowed to pursue a direction that takes where God does not want us to go.  The difference between Moses and the rest of the people was that Israel would rebel and harden their hearts against God and so they experienced judgment. For Moses, he asked but accepted God's reply and so God let him see the land but only from afar. His time on earth was coming to an end, but he got to see the victory that would be given to the people he led.  May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him.