Deuteronomy 4:9-14 New American Standard Bible
9 “Only be careful for yourself and watch over your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons. 10 Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Assemble the people to Me, that I may have them hear My words so that they may learn to [a]fear Me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’ 11 You came forward and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain was burning with fire to the heart of the heavens: darkness, cloud, and thick gloom. 12 Then the Lord spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of words, but you saw no form—there was only a voice. 13 So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten [b] Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. 14 The Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, so that you would perform them in the land where you are going over to take possession of it.
The Word of God for the People of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
This will probably sound odd to some, but the book of Deuteronomy is one of my favorite Old Testament books of the Bible. Much of Deuteronomy is a review and summary of the law, but nestled in between this review are valuable words of true wisdom from Moses. Today’s verse is one we should pause and consider.
From our text, Moses is speaking to the Israelites.
They are on the edge of the Promised Land. Moses is told h cannot pass over to the promised land in clear view of his eyes. Moses is old and he will die soon. As he reflects back on his 120 years of life, considers the length and breadth of his long life and sheer numbers and weight of experiences, he gives us these verses.
Deuteronomy 4:9-14 The Message
9 Just make sure you stay alert. Keep close watch over yourselves. Don’t forget anything of what you’ve seen. Don’t let your heart wander off. Stay vigilant as long as you live. Teach what you’ve seen and heard to your children and grandchildren.
10 That day when you stood before God, your God, at Horeb, God said to me, “Assemble the people in my presence to listen to my words so that they will learn to fear me in holy fear for as long as they live on the land, and then they will teach these same words to their children.”
11-13 You gathered. You stood in the shadow of the mountain. The mountain was ablaze with fire, blazing high into the very heart of Heaven. You stood in deep darkness and thick clouds. God spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but you saw nothing—no form, only a voice. He announced his covenant, the Ten Words, by which he commanded you to live. Then he wrote them down on two slabs of stone.
14 And God commanded me at that time to teach you the rules and regulations that you are to live by in the land which you are crossing over the Jordan to possess.
He warns each of us to be careful and diligently keep our soul lest we forget the things we saw. What specifically did the Israelites see and experience from God?
When they were leaving Egypt, God sent 10 plagues.
Then, when it seemed they would have no escape, God parted the Red Sea and he wiped out the whole of the pursuing Egyptian army.
God had led them through the wilderness with a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. God’s very presence was unmistakably with them every single day.
God had provided manna, quail and water throughout their 40 year journey.
God would fight for them over and over again.
And yet, as we continue to read into Deuteronomy, they would forget all of God’s goodness and provision for them. It’s human nature. When times are good, we are very happy and when times are hard we grumble and complain.
Through it all, we too soon forget. We especially forget God’s work in our lives.
Moses pleads with us to remember all the works of God in our lives and pass our faith to our spouses, our children and our children’s children. Too tell all of our neighbors and friends and coworkers. Tell them, witness to, testify about all God’s miracles, tell them about how God continuously works in our lives, tell them about how God has always worked through all history and is still working.
If we don’t tell of God’s works, we forget them and our children will not know.
God is faithful to us, let’s reflect, on that faithfulness and let us likewise reflect upon God’s goodness towards us, remember to be faithful teaching our children our grandchildren, our spouses our friends, coworkers, neighbors, of his works.
Many of us have truly beautiful memories and stories of our parents, siblings, pastors, teachers, or neighbors showing their love and care for us, and we will never forget to recount what they have done for us. Many of us also share these stories with our children, friends, coworkers, and others. All these wonderful stories will always be part of our personal history, always work to shape life.
Similarly, as believers in God, we remember stories of God’s deliverance, grace, protection, and greatness shown to us. Memories of our spiritual formation and personal blessings give us encouragement and strength.
We would not be who we are nor where we are without God and what he has done in our lives. And when we remember and tell our stories, God receives the glory. Our faith is strengthened, renewed. When we tell others, especially the next generations, we share with them our love for and dependence on the Lord.
We can always find so very many ways to remember. Some of us may use daily or weekly journaling, daily times of reflection with prayer, pictures, artwork, and music that remind us of those significant times and places where we have encountered God in our lives. Some families and churches also designate times to tell stories about the teachings of Jesus and Holy Spirit’s work in their lives.
What are some ways you remember God’s goodness?
Who are you going to tell of these wondrous events in your life with God?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 119:1-16 The Message
119 1-8 You’re blessed when you stay on course,
walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
You’re blessed when you follow his directions,
doing your best to find him.
That’s right—you don’t go off on your own;
you walk straight along the road he set.
You, God, prescribed the right way to live;
now you expect us to live it.
Oh, that my steps might be steady,
keeping to the course you set;
Then I’d never have any regrets
in comparing my life with your counsel.
I thank you for speaking straight from your heart;
I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.
I’m going to do what you tell me to do;
don’t ever walk off and leave me.
* * *
9-16 How can a young person live a clean life?
By carefully reading the map of your Word.
I’m single-minded in pursuit of you;
don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.
I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart
so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.
Be blessed, God;
train me in your ways of wise living.
I’ll transfer to my lips
all the counsel that comes from your mouth;
I delight far more in what you tell me about living
than in gathering a pile of riches.
I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you,
I attentively watch how you’ve done it.
I relish everything you’ve told me of life,
I won’t forget a word of it.
* * *
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 