Deuteronomy 1:1-2:23
Deuteronomy is a great book - one of my favourites. The bulk of it is Moses’ final sermon before he pops his clogs, but there are a few pieces of editorial comment on the sermon to set it in context and explain a few bits and pieces here and there. As it was his last words, Moses has obviously taken some time to reflect on what he has seen through the desert (what he calls the “vast and dreadful desert” - poor bloke) and so we get some really useful summaries of what all that Exodus to Numbers stuff was about. 1:29-33 is a great one of these. We see that Moses - someone who was intimately involved with the narrative - saw it not primarily as one of punishment or of heavy legislation but of a father carrying a son, protecting him, providing for him, guiding him. For Moses, the desert experience was one where all the running was done by the Lord and the only contribution of the people was not to trust to one on whose back they sat. There were a few of exceptions to this - Caleb, Joshua and Moses (and their families) - but all the glory and all the credit goes to God. And we live in similar times - where all we bring to the party is our sin and yet, in his incredible love and generosity, God picks us up and carries us, feeding us with his daily bread and taking us inexorably forward towards the promised land.
Luke 9:57-10:24
Following on the back of yesterday’s revelation of Jesus as a releasing, empowering Messiah we see him working out that revelation today. We rightly talk of the 12 apostles but the appointment of the 72 is hugely significant for understanding who Jesus was and what he was doing. 12 people wandering around with the authority of Jesus is one thing - they would be fairly easy to manage. But 72! How could Jesus have kept tabs on what all 72 were doing? Jesus seemed to be quite reckless in his willingness to empower people and to send them off to do the things of the kingdom. And, the over-riding emotion of the 72 was not fear, or conviction of sin, or even excitement but one of joy. Joy was the defining emotion of those who are doing the things of the kingdom. Jesus affirms this and, indeed, feels it himself. Joy, deep and soul-awakening joy, is really and truly available to all of us who are followers of Jesus. This is joy not at what we see happening, not at the miracles that God does through us, but joy at what God has done for us - that our names are written on his ephod. That Jesus, as our High Priest, has our names written on his waistcoat, and that he intercedes for us day in, day out, representing us to his father and guaranteeing our entrance into the kingdom of our God.
Psalm 41:1-6
It’s interesting that in verse 4 David asks to be healed when he has sinned.
