Category: Christian Living

John Denver was one music artist my sister greatly enjoyed.  Our family was acquainted with someone who was in the radio business.  While John was in town for a performance, this man had arranged for John to make a phone call and chat with my sister.

John Denver called, but no one was home.  This was before affordable answering machines or voice mail.  We only found out about the call when after some time had passed the family friend asked how the conversation had gone. That is when we realized the call had been missed.

On a few occasions through the years I have pondered this lost conversation.  What would have been said?  How nervous would my sister have been talking to John Denver?  No one will ever know, because the conversation did not happen. 

Deuteronomy 5:32 Moses warns the Hebrew people, do not turn to the right or the left of God’s word.

The key ingredient to this is knowing God’s word.  The only way to know what God’s word is, is to allow God to conversate with us.  He does this through Scripture. 

God’s word is the only word I have encountered that I can’t read it enough.  Why? Because I can read it 10 times and the 11^th I will see something I missed before.  Nothing else is like this.  You can never wear out God’s word.  Never! You will always learn.  I can’t emphasize this enough.

So I say to you, God is calling you.  There is no voice mail.  There is no answering machine.  He wants to talk to you.  Please do not let it be a conversation that you miss.

Soli, Deo Gloria

Race horses are given blinders that keep them focused.  They are attached to the bridle and cover the sides of their eyes.  This keeps them looking straight ahead.  They can’t look to the right and they can’t look to the left – the blinders keep them focused so they can run the best race. No distractions

In Deuteronomy 5 we find that Moses is giving the ten commandments a second time.  That what that word Deuteronomy means, a repetition of the law.  Why is Moses giving it again?  Well, God’s people have been wandering for 40 years in the wilderness (desert).  It had been 40 years since the first giving of the Law.

After giving this law We find in verse 32 these words “You shall be careful therefore to do as the Lord your God has commanded you.  You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.”

At every waking moment of the day, there are hundreds of things competing for my attention.  People, things, devices, thoughts, ads,

I find that you and me are surrounded by countless things that want our attention.  I need a blinder.  Something to keep me looking straight forward.  What is meant by that?  Think of these two things: too much and too far.

The implication here isn’t that we read and pray and listen to sermons every moment you are awake.  Even Jesus did not do this.  It is when we spend TOO MUCH time away and rarely or never pray.  Also rarely or never read.  Or, as a believer rarely attend church.

The other side of this is when we have gone too far.  The temptations have turned into defeats and we go too far.

This is where blinders are good.  This is the teaching of Moses, don’t turn to the right and don’t turn to the left – keep focused.

We will return to this passage on Monday and ponder it further, so please come back.  Until then: Soli Deo Gloria