Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 1:1-4:40

This is Moses’ first big speech to new generation of the Israelites who do not remember Egypt.  He is giving a big history lesson to those who will enter into the land of promise.  As he describes the history, he put his comments as well to explain the reasons for each events or background of each event.  The benefit of history is that events are all played out already and you can analyze it with all information laid out before you.  However, when you are in the middle of such history, you can’t see all and you can’t analyze reasons because you don’t really know.

I once read a book called “Communication for Change” by Andy Stanley (those of you know me know that I am his fan).  One of his lessons was “To know why is to submit and obey”.  This statement stayed with me so long – I don’t recall most of other statements or information, but I recall this particular statement.  As I am reading Moses’ historical recount, I note that Moses could see the reasons now after he submitted and obeyed God.  At the time of his own actions, he did not know why God wanted him to do certain actions, but by submitting and obeying God’s commands, he knows reasons after.  As he reviewed his journey from Egypt to now, he could finally see the reasons for God’s commands.  I think that is such a cool thing to remember.

In many times, I don’t know why I am to do certain actions.  In most cases, I know God guides my steps, but I feel so angry or frustrated because I don’t particularly like to do what he asks me to do.  My initial question is “why me?” or “why do you want me to do this?”  Now, I know my initial questions are wrong – it is not “why”, but it is “how”.  “How do you want me to do this?” is the correct question because “how” is not a problem for God.  After my actions, I usually get to know “why”.  Today, we have benefit of Moses’ account of what happened and why God wanted the Israelites to do his commands.  You may not have such benefit for your life right now.  But, why not obeying and submitting and see God’s “why” afterward?  After all, God never leads us to wrong turns for his love of us and he will always guide us accurately – God Positioning System.