Mon.’s Devo - Trees of Righteousness

Read: Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22; Luke 8:4-21; Psalm 69:19-36; Proverbs 12:2-3 Moses addressed Israel as they were about to enter into their promised land. The inhabitants of the land were much more mighty and greater in number than them. They had cities with great tall walls and giants who lived in them. God was going before them like a consuming fire to destroy them. God was not doing this because they were so good and deserved it because they didn’t. They had been a stubborn and obstinate people the whole forty years through the wilderness. He was doing this because the people they would be displacing were evil and God had made a promise to Abraham and God keeps his word. God reminded them of his righteous anger when they rebelled at Mt. Sinai and made the golden calf. He wanted to destroy them then, but Moses prayed for them. God was angry with them when they complained of no food at Taberah and God sent them manna. At Massah when they had no water, God brought water out of the rock. At Kibroth-hattaavah they lusted for meat and God sent them quail. Then at Kadesh-Barnea where they chose to listen to the fear of the spies that went to spy out the land. He sentenced them to forty years in the wilderness where that whole generation was sentenced to die in the wilderness. God had saved them and brought them here this day for his own reputation on earth. They continued on to the Jordan and at Moserah, Aaron died and was buried. Eleazar took his place as high priest. God set apart the Levites to carry the Ark and to minister to Him for the people. Moses told the people what the Lord required of them: fear Him, live their lives to please him and to serve him with all their heart and soul. They must always obey the law which would bring them good things. God had chosen them above all the other nations of the world to be his people. He would be fair and make sure that the orphans and widows received justice. God showed mercy to the foreigners living month them so they should too. Their hearts should be toward the Lord and they should fear and worship him because he is the only God. He had done so many miracles in their sight and he was the one who prospered and multiplied their descendants. In Luke, Jesus gave the parable of the seed and the sower. He explained the parable to his disciples and told them that many would not understand his teachings because they were the fulfillment of the parable. The seed is scattered in many hearts but only the hearts that welcome the seed would mature and grow into trees. These trees are to be lights to the world that are not ashamed of what they know and who they are. Jesus told them to be careful how they heard. The more they listened to Jesus, the more they would understand. All who listen to God’s word are like his mother and his brothers. Lord, may we listen with our hearts and our spirits. May we discern rightly and grow up to be trees of righteousness.