Daily Devotional

A Ministry of the Kerwin Baptist Church

September 04, 2018

by Pastor Hawtree

I AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE:

TO GIVE DIRECTIONS

Deuteronomy 2:2 And the LORD spake unto me, saying, 3 Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.

Once again, we find ourselves on the subject of the Children of Israel. They had been journeying in the wilderness for forty years. In chapter one, Moses goes through the history of their struggle. He reminds them of their unbelief, their disobedience, and their discontent. He talks about the provision that God promised, and the price they paid for their lack of faith. Moses also discusses mistakes he made which led to Moses not being able to cross over into the promise land. He also encourages the people to encourage and follow Joshua as he leads them into their next chapter of life. I know, that’s a lot to discuss.

So, in these verses at the start of chapter two, Moses, in this heart to heart speech to the people, shares what God had shared with him. By the way, that is what you and I should be doing. We should be close enough to God to get something from Him, and then faithful enough to God to share it with others. This is what Moses said, “the LORD spake unto me, saying, Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward”. God was telling these people that it was time for them to move on. They had been going around in circles, but they were getting nowhere. It wasn’t that they were not busy. It wasn’t that they were lazy. It wasn’t that they were not working hard, they just were not accomplishing anything.

Today, maybe you have been circling the mountain long enough. Maybe it is time for a change. Maybe you have been busy, working hard, and even burning the midnight oil. But if you were honest, you just aren’t accomplishing anything. Well then friend, maybe it is time to step out by faith. Maybe it is time for a change. Maybe it is time to get out of your “comfort zone” and get into the “faith zone”.

When you decide to do it, to step out, God will give you directions. He will not give you directions until you are ready to hear them. “Turn you northward”. It took them forty years to finally give up and start listening. How long will it take us?