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 on the pages to turn the page). 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.
Stern warnings in Moses’ song, today. May we be careful to obey God’s instructions!
Beautiful photo of David’s relatives. His mother was such a beautiful little girl but, more importantly, from what we’ve learned about her character, that was an even deeper beauty.
May God’s blessings abound toward all of you!
My prayer is that I hear & understand God’s command AND obey. Praying for a family that is going through a lot just now. The “B” family was really traumatized by an attempted suicide of their adult child (who’s heart stopped) and was restarted by medical personnel who would not give up. Praying that God will minister to each family member and that no permanent harm was done – that the body will again function in the way God designed it to. A difficult start to the New Year for them, a Christian family.
Doreen: Praise God the young man’s heart started
beating again. I will continue to pray for him and his family as well. This could be a warning for him and it could change his whole life for the better. Praying that this will happen in Jesus precious name.
Doreen: Praise God the young man’s heart started
beating again. I will continue to pray for him and his family as well. This could be a warning for him and it could change his whole life for the better. Praying that this will happen in Jesus precious name.
Wow,thank you,Doreen for your comment on the 27th.It was the last devotion I had to catch up on.I’m feeling much better after 2 rounds of antibiotics.God bless
……………….
This time of year is the hardest on someone very depressed.The enemy will make them feel worthless while there mode will seldom rise to the ‘surface’ it will sometimes plunge to great depths where all other concerns (including those who love them) are covered in darkness.It is down here where they want to end their pain but to do so they must also end their life.I believe that is what happens to drug addicts who can’t get enough narcotics to help them forget for a while and they go over the limit of what their body can tolerate.Others,like Robin Williams,just use physical means to ‘end the pain’.
I think it was about 6 months before I was ‘led’ to a ministry (I had to be told I had a ministry by my mentors) in grief sites,I was a….attached notes explain this.As usual,it took no more than 10 min to write each of these back then.These may give insight to such families.The enemy can plant a seed that becomes too great for the victim to carry without Jesus because they think it comes from within.Nuff said:
” A beautiful Irish lady in a poetry site asked me to write
a poem for her close friend whose adult son took his
own life.She was having a hard time.I wrote the first
one and she made a second request for a prayer.
This was before I was led to or knew of any
grieving sites.
“# 1….. 09.10.2011, 4:27
A Note From Heaven
I could not convey the pain inside
For it is a fire we choose to hide
And God knows that a sorrowful mind
Is on a quest for what it can not find.
We must carry the pain for others
For we are stronger than our brothers,
But sometimes Satan slips on through
Past our defences no matter what we do.
No one can prevent what can’t be seen;
What is well hidden you could not glean,
I was well loved and love you still,
I am still here just over the hill.
Be not of sorrow and do not cry long
For I will be happy,you must be strong,
Nothing you said or did was so wrong,
So continue your journey singing a song.
G W (Bill) Marshall
# 2…..» 09.10.2011, 4:30
Also a Friend
Oh Lord,my God let Your love heal
A shattered heart ,this is my appeal,
For a life cut short by a tragic end,
You are our God but also a friend.
Human words fail me to convey
Please Lord grant me words to say,
For you know Lord that the blame
Goes to Satan and his deadly game.
Though darkness gathers all around,
It’s your grace that is to be found,
That allows your love without bound
To come like thunder without sound.
Let it be known in hearts that grieve
That a loved one gone is just a leave
For they await you can believe,
And on His promise you can cleave.
G W (Bill) Marshall
Several months later she wrote back to say
that the poems helped her friend …and they
also helped her deal with her own brother’s
suicide back in 79.I cried.
Hi William
And I can relate to your comment where you said that this time of year Christmas and New years is very difficult for people who are very mentally depressed
I have a mental illness myself and I in the past have gone to support groups for anxiety and depression I’m on meds so yeah I’ve heard that I’ve heard the stories from people in those groups and yes it is sad about Robin Williams the celebrity Robin Williams it is really sad that people’s mental health get so severe that they fall through the cracks the mental health system in Kitchener Ontario is okay I guess but people are still falling through the cracks and they will commit suicide because they cannot handle the pain the torment the anguish they just end it all which unfortunately is very sad but thank God for me that is praise God that is not and I repeat that is not the case for me but yes I can relate to what you were illustrating
Thank you again for making that comment and making the awareness of mental health and reducing the stigma that comes along with mental health so every year in February or January or whenever it is they have Bell talk day where they raise money advocates raise money for mental health
Amen William I praise God that he would richly bless you I just thought I would share my experience again ✝️🙏
Hi,Marilyn.I fight depression too and was standing in the threshold of suicide several times.Years later,on meds after a marital break up,I found the side affects worse than the depression so I stopped taking them gradually.
A few years after I became a Christian my son said to me “You seem happier than I’ve ever seen you.” ‘After I became a Christian’ and after He led me to the grieving sites.God bless
Praying for the heart soul and spirit of the beloved adult child who attempted suicide and was saved by God’s grace is restored and feels loved. ❤️
This is an article written by Robin Williams’ wife explaining his Lewy Body Dementia that attributed to his actions before anyone assumes they know why he did what he did or what he was having to deal with. It is so easy for others to judge or make assumptions about someone’s suicide when they shouldn’t.
The terrorist inside my husband’s brain
Susan Schneider Williams
First published September 26, 2016
https://n.neurology.org/content/87/13/1308
Amen to your prayers Doreen.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
in Jesus’ Mighty Name, Amen.
Oh William one more comment thank you again for your poems they are always inspirational and insightful amen