CANDLEGLOW LESSON

“The Lesson of the Sanctified Life”  

Parashah D’VARIM  (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22) Week 44

Moses spoke to the entire nation of Israel on the first day of the eleventh month, in the fortieth year of their wilderness wandering.  The journey from Horev to Kadesh-Barnea, by way of Mount Sinai was only an eleven-day journey.  However, the journey was about more than just putting one foot in front the other for eleven days, until arriving at Canaan.  This is a story of the journey into life.  The journey of a sanctified life in Adonai is about many obedient crossings.  There are faith building valleys on the other side of the hill country.  There will be an intermingling with unknown people, as we take the hills and valleys of our journey into faith.  The fruit of this obedience will be a deep, abiding faith.

ADONAI spoke to us in Horev.  He said, “You have lived long enough by this mountain.  Turn, get moving and go to the hill-country of the Emori and all the places near there in the ‘Aravah, the hill-country, the Sh’felah, the Negev and by the seashore – the land of the Kena’ani, and the L’vanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates River.  I have set the land before you!  Go in, and take possession of the land ADONAI swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Ytz’chak and Ya’akov, and their descendants after them.”  (Deuteronomy 1:6-8 CJB)

As I ran in the intense heat of the summer morning, one foot falling in front of the other, I prayed for Adonai’s deep meaning from the retelling by Moses to a new generation about to cross over into Covenant Land.  This generation did not live out any portion of the four-hundred year old story of slavery in Egypt.  This generation had never been enslaved by a cruel master, or served another nation as a subculture.  This generation lived under the cloud of Adonai by day and His pillar of fire by night.  They ate manna from heaven and they drank cool water from Miriam’s well.  They heard through Moses’ shepherding voice all Adonai commanded, and all Adonai promised!

I spoke to the Lord of my love for His stories in the Books of Moses.  Like Moses, I repeated the storyline of the Parashah D’varim out into the atmosphere as I ran.  I thanked our heavenly Father for holding Israel in his arms, like a father cradles his child, through the forty-year wilderness wandering; from the Red Sea all the way to the Jordan River.

As I retold the stories etched in my memory, I saw the vision of the circle of life for us all.  I saw how every life lived, is an invitation to make the journey with our heavenly Father.  It is He who sanctifies our lives and prepares us to enter His Kingdom.  This is territory set aside not only for Israel, but for every person ever created.  The invitation to draw near to Adonai and learn of His ways is there for all who will come.  All are invited to Cross Over.

I thanked the Lord for every time He commanded me to cross over by faith, into new territory.  I thanked Him for each time He asked me to leave old ways behind, by getting to know Him more.  There was a day, many years ago, when I heard the Lord personally invite me to get to know Him more.  He told me I would find my rest in this journey of letting go of what was, in order to cross over into newness, with Him.  My lessons in obedience have been progressive.

We must consider the amazing journey of the Nation of Israel, from the Red Sea to the western shore of the Jordan River.  We gather with the Nation of Israel during this holy pause, for the retelling of the birth of Adonai’s chosen people.  From the moment the Red Sea parted and the new Nation was birthed, Hebrews all now, like father Abraham, they crossed over into a Covenant Relationship with Yahweh.  We see the birth travail, the groping at new life like a newborn baby, then toddler, then rebellious teen.  Some, like Joshua and Caleb, fell in love with Adonai.  It was their love that gave them the courage to advance into their promised inheritance!

Might we stand with Israel in these moments of being transported back in time, to hear of the contextual beauty of the journey out of slavery and into freedom; into Covenant Relationship with Yahweh?  The story unfolds like a fantastic eternal play we are meant to experience, viscerally.  With God’s history etched on our hearts, we can clearly see our own lives, and His mighty right hand upon it.

This is the Lesson of the Sanctified Life.  When we consider the journey of the birth of the Nation of Israel in a prayerful immersion of study, we cannot but see our own lives.  As we grow closer to Adonai, His leading will take us out of the slavery of the past and into freedom.  This new-found freedom comes with an invitation to get to know Him more.  In our desire to draw near and learn of Him, we will be expected to cross many rivers into unknown territory.  We will advance into the hill country, where the views are obstructed.  Hills and valleys build faith!

This is the Lesson of the Sanctified Life.  The twelve tribes of Israel were commanded to advance into their inheritance.  Their Father in Heaven expressed through Moses, “You have gone around this same mountain enough times now.  It is time for the new generation to take the Covenant Land as their own, establishing righteousness in the land, as my people.”  Does Adonai expect less from us, as His Wild Olive Branch? (Romans 11:17-18)

This is the Lesson of the Sanctified Life.  May we not ask to settle for less than all Adonai has for us, on the other side of the hills and valleys of our journey.  May we not negotiate, for fear of the war we must wage in our generation, to bring righteousness into the land.  May we be of good courage, knowing that God is with us wherever we go; especially as we follow His lead.

May we take the Covenant Land for our families and our children, and their children.  Adonai has declared, the new territory we overtake by faith is flowing with milk and honey!  Be of good courage, dear seeker, for the Lord goes with you, wherever you go!

As I, a Scribe for the Lord, massage and make this CANDLEGLOW LESSON publish ~ worthy, it is with great challenge that I edit this lesson for you, dear subscriber.

With only 13 days between the Funeral Services for my beloved, and today, not only am I in a cloud of grief and disbelief, but also in a very conscious place with the Lord!

It is like walking in a cloud, and falling out of it to hit the earth, hard, and wake up to the reality of death and my broken heart.

So, what am I going to do about this lesson today,  for myself?  Will I be of good courage, knowing that God is with me wherever I go?  Will I continue, even with this new limp, to make WAR and TAKE Covenant Land for my children, my grand children, and their children?  I WILL!

I repeat Philippians 4:13 to myself…I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!  BELIEVE!

I repeat Galatians 5:1 to myself…In Christ I have been set FREE, utterly FREE, so I must not take up the yoke of slavery I have put off!  TRUST!

I repeat Exodus 14:13 to myself… FEAR NOT, STAND STILL, see the Glory of the Lord He will work for me today.  He will fight for me and I may remain at peace and at rest.  REST!

I repeat Habakkuk 3:19 to myself…The Lord God is my strength and HE will make my feet like hinds’  feet, and He will make me walk upon my high places!  ADVANCE!

These versus given to me over the many years of my seeking Him, with my whole heart, now come flooding back to me in my hours of greatest need and I see again, God is good in all things, even the most painful of life’s experiences!   He prepared me for this journey of grief and loss!  He has walked with me all my days, and is still right beside me…even if I do not always feel His presence as strongly as I do my sadness, in the loss of my beloved husband.  I know YESHUA understands loss and grief, from death!  I do not have to explain my feelings to Him, but simply fall at His feet, for comfort…

We do not have to fear, but we can believe and trust and rest in His goodness so that we may advance into our Kingdom destiny!

Shabbat Shalom,

Sydney

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