FW: The light at the end of the tunnel

Scripture:  Deut 4: 10 & 11 “In the distant future, when you are suffering all these things, you will finally return to the Lord your God and listen to what he tells you.  For the Lord you God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors”

Observation:  The suffering this scripture talks about is the consequence  which will clearly result from Israel’s disobedience in turning away from the one true God to the worship of idols.  They have been warned.  God cannot bless them when they are disobedient to Him….and He knows that’s what they will do!!!  Moses clearly prophesies it here!  But, even so, the God of Israel is faithful to His covenant with Abraham & his descendants.  And He promises that, in the midst of trouble & distress, there will always be hope.  They have but to seek Him, and they will find Him.  To turn from their sin in repentance to be restored to Him.  If those suffering exile from the land of Israel know the promises of God in scripture, they will know that there is a way beyond the suffering. Whilst the suffering is with reason, it is not without hope of end.  God IS merciful.

Application:  God’s grace is so evident in this Old Testament passage.  And He hasn’t changed today.  I. too, can lose sight of Him and turn to idols – there are so many distractions in this world that can pull me away from Him and obedience to His ways.  Yet, even when I suffer the consequences of my sin (and even that is the grace of the Lord to draw me back to Him), He is waiting for me to repent& return to Him.  Like the Father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, He waits longingly for me to return.  And He runs towards me when I do, His robes flying!!!  And when I am in the depths of despair, like the prodigal in the pigpen, there is always the glimmer of hope, the light at the end of the tunnel – His Grace & mercy.  His promises to never abandon me, or destroy me, or forget the covenant He made with me, sealed in the blood of his Son.  I cannot afford to take His forgiveness lightly, but what a comfort to know that, when I do make a mess of things, if I am prepared to return to Him, He won’t leave me to my own devices!!! 

Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father, thankyou so much for Your grace & mercy towards me.  Thankyou that You are faithful even when I’m not, & that I always have that glimmer of light – Your Grace & mercy – to draw me out of any darkness I may have got myself into!  Lord, I never want to take your mercy for granted, nor take Jesus’ sacrifice for me lightly.  May I always remember what it cost, that that remembrance will keep me from idolatry, but that it will also help me to extend Your Grace & mercy to others, May I be one who shines your light to those around me who have discovered themselves in a very dark place.

In Jesus’ name.   Amen

 Sue Otto