Time to Break Camp | Deuteronomy 1
Photo by Rick Osentoski, USA Today Sports
Welcome to Real Life. It’s autumn—footfall season in the Cleveland. Though I don’t know much about the game, I know this: as critical as defense is, it takes offense to win. You gotta score. To do that, you must move the football down the field, past your enemies, and into the end zone.
Moses and the Children of Israel understood defense. For forty years, they focused on staying safe and alive while traversing the desert wilderness. Now, camped at Horeb on the border of the Promised Land, God calls them to shift focus.
“You’ve stayed long enough on this mountain.
Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites.”
It’s time for some offense.
“Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”
God wants them to move out, engage the enemy, and conquer the Promised Land. It’s time for Israel to score some points and win the game.
Like Israel, I understand defense. Life can be hard. I’ve traversed wild places of fear, adversity, and sorrow. I’ve felt attacked on every side. I’ve woken up to days that took every bit of my faith just to climb out of bed and face my trouble-filled world. I know how to pray defensively: Lord, please protect me. Keep me from falling. Give me strength to persevere, to survive the storm.
I’ve also lived in comfortable places. Life is dull and routine and I like it. I want no thrills. I have no desire to engage the enemy. I am content to watch the action from the sidelines.
However, lately, the Lord is calling me to offense. As a follower of Christ, I’m on the winning team. He wants me to get up and into the game:
“Peggi, you’ve stayed long enough on this mountain. Break camp and advance into enemy territory.”
Who, me, Lord? I am small and weak and afraid. Where can I find the strength and courage to conquer my Promised Land? Like Israel, I find it in God Himself:
There is no one like the God of Peggi.
He rides across the heavens to help you,
across the skies in majestic splendor.
The eternal God is your refuge,
and his everlasting arms are under you.
He drives out the enemy before you;
he cries out, ‘Destroy them!’
So Peggi will live in safety,
prosperous woman of God in security,
in a land of grain and new wine,
while the heavens drop down dew.
How blessed you are, O Peggi!
Who else is like you, a people saved by the Lord?
He is your protecting shield
and your triumphant sword!
Your enemies will cringe before you,
and you will stomp on their backs!
Deuteronomy 33:26-29 (NLT)
I replaced “Israel” with my name, for I am his daughter, one of his chosen people.
Is it time for you to break camp and move out in the power of God?
