The Younger Generation Hearing the Word

Deuteronomy 6-12

In today’s reading, we go from a sermon about love and hope to another sermon about love and hope.

Starting in Chapter six we see where the covenant between God and the people is once again renewed. The Ten Commandments are stated again and reaffirmed to the new generation. All of the older generation that heard God utter the words outlining the Ten Commandments have passed on. The younger generation didn’t hear those words from God, they had only heard stories. Moses needed to tell them that the covenant made with their parents will continue with them.

God is still their God and they are still God’s people. They needed to hear once again that love, mercy and hope are the centerpieces of the covenant God made with them and the hope of prosperity to come.

In Deuteronomy 8, Moses has this promise of a better future for the people. “6 Therefore keep the commandments of the Lord your God, by walking in his ways and by fearing him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with flowing streams, with springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and hills, 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, 9 a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron and from whose hills you may mine copper. 10 You shall eat your fill and bless the Lord your God for the good land that he has given you.

11 Take care that you do not forget the Lord your God, by failing to keep his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes, which I am commanding you today.”

“Pastor Troy serves First United Methodist Church. You can watch his daily devotionals on Facebook or http:// www. firstmethodistmalvern. org/.