Turn and Go

April 1

Deuteronomy 1

Psalm 39:1-6

Proverbs 10:1-2

Luke 4:22-44

Turn and Go

“The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain.  Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev, and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates.”  Deuteronomy 1:6-7 NIV

This command to the Israelites is one that I think we need to hear as well.  “You have been here long enough: Turn and go!”  My Bible is an NIV.  That is the one I have gotten used to, but I like to look at other translations as well because it gives me a clearer picture of the meanings of words.  I think sometimes we lose something in the translation from Greek or Hebrew to English.  The NIV says “break camp and advance.”  The RSV and ESV both say, “turn and take your journey.”  The Message expounds on the command here.  It says “On your way now! Get moving!”  God is not saying to the children of Israel, “I guess you have wandered around long enough.  Go ahead and get your stuff and let’s go on over the Jordan.  Take your time, when you are ready, we will move on.”  He is telling them, “Ok, let’s go!  You have been here long enough!  It is time you got out of here.  Go now!”   

Are you stuck in the wilderness?  Sometimes we wander around so long we don’t even realize we are wandering.   God has a plan and a purpose for us.  He uses time in the wilderness to prepare us, cleanse us, test us, and purify us.  But when He tells us it is time to move forward, it is time, and we need to go!  Is He telling you that you have been wandering around long enough?  On your way, now!  Get moving!  Go now!