CONSIDER THE YEARS

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 32

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

An elderly man ponders Scripture while in the courtyard of the Western Wall next to the Temple Mount. He may be meditating on the words of Moses.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verse: Deuteronomy 32:7

Remember the days of old,
Consider the years of many generations.
Ask your father, and he will show you;
Your elders, and they will tell you…

The song of Moses, poetry in the Hebrew language, is a spectacular way to present his last words. We have no idea of the tune he sang. It was no doubt in the minor key. It’s a sad sounding melody. According to available information, the scale for the major key arrived at some point as a more joyous sound in early Christianity. What a dramatic impact Moses made with his message. Ever since, it has been impossible for Jewish people to forget Moses.

Our key verse tells sons and daughters, as well as the following generations, to “ask your father.” How should a father answer? Deuteronomy 32:6 gives fathers, and mothers too, their instructions…”Set your hearts!” In Matthew 12:34b Jesus is quoted as saying, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Let us fill our minds with God’s Word and meditate on it. It will surely soak down into the very core of our beings, and the right words will flow out when we speak.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to move the content of this two-year daily blog into my heart. May the thoughts expressed here faithfully communicate Your thoughts. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

During the Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, I’ve had wonderful opportunities to follow Moses’ instructions. I’ve preached a bit to my children, my grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren. I didn’t preach a long sermon. Often it was just a sentence or two. Like Moses, I even sang a verse or two of a song.

One of my heroes is my uncle, Rev. Manley Pritchard, 21 years older than his sister, my mother (see photo below). My father was away during WW2 years, and my uncle filled in as a father sometimes. I can remember stern warnings, as well as good stories from him. He would be 138 years old if he was still here with us. His words still sound in my memories. He compiled a book which, in my opinion, should be back in print. It’s called, Pebbles From The Brink — “the brink” being the shore of the river of death (here is a link to an online version of the book…click the arrow to turn the pages). The last words of dying people are often startling. Of course, Uncle Manley also included in his book the last words of Jesus, which were, according to John, who was there, “It is finished” (John 19:30). As a 12-year-old boy, I heard my dying mother’s last word. She laboured to say my name, “David.” I went to her side, kissed her and said through my sobs, “Mother, I’ll meet you in Heaven.” My dad reminded me several times that I added the words, “I will, I will.” I know I can have this assurance because Jesus “FINISHED” the work He came to earth to accomplish. His Cross is the bridge from this side of the river of death to the shores of Heaven.

Yours for wisdom to find the right words to say to our loved ones,

David

P.S. My sister Willa recently came across the photo below of our mother as a young girl with her parents and siblings (taken around the turn of the century). Mother is the precious little girl in the front (born Norma Hazel Pritchard). The man in the back is my Uncle Manley, whom I referred to above.