Deuteronomy -- The Awesome Valedictory Address of Moses

                                                                                                                     Today I read some in the Pentateuch, those books that Moses wrote at the beginning of the Bible, about the beginnings of our faith.

Now we all remember many of the stories in Genesis and Exodus from Sunday School and Vacation Bible School., I'm reading from The Message, the Eugene PEterson paraphrase, a newer version, which I really enjoy. But my scripture reading todaty led me to Deuteronomy 6. to the great Shema --  The central payer of the Jewish prayer book -- Deuteronomy 6:4-9


⁴ Attention, Israel! God, our God! God the one and only! ⁵ Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got! ^6-9 Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.  The whole book is a sermon, or a series of sermons. In fact, it's Moses' last sermon. Some scholars call it his valedictory address.  Moses is about to die, and he urgently wants the people to remember God and continue to serve him.
In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is underlining what needs to be remembered and done by his people. He has millions of people, a nation, and he wants to give them the most important points of how God has instructed them to live one more time - maybe this time, they will really remember it, follow it, be blessed. So I reviewed the amazing wisdom in the entire book.

I hear this in verses in the 4th chapter, where he says, "Pay attention: I'm teaching you the rules and regulations that God commanded me, so that you may live by them....Keep them. Practice them. You'll become wise and understanding....Keep close watch over yourselves. Don't forget anything of what you've seen. Don't let your heart wander off."

Chapter 15 shows God's loving heart: "When you happen on someone who's in trouble or needs help among your people...don't look the other way pretending you don't see him. Don't keep a tight grip on your purse....Give freely and spontaneously. Don't havea stingy heart. The way you handle matters like this triggers God, your God's blessing in everything you do, in all your work and ventures....So I command you: Always be generous, open purse and hands, give to your neighbors in trouble, your poor and hurting neighbors."

I consider the summary of the sermon to be in the 30th chapter, where Moses encourages the people, "Love God, your God. Walk in his ways. Keep his commandments, regulations, and rules so that you will live, really live, live exuberantly....I place before you Life and Death, Blessing and Curse. Choose life so that you and your children will live. And love God, your God, listening obediently to him, firmly embracing him. Oh yes, he is life itself."When we love God, we are blessed, us and our children. Oh yes, He is life itself. May you embrace the abundant life God has for you.