When was the last time you randomly opened your Bible and read the complete chapter? Doing just that landed me in the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy recently and stirred this story. Resisting that nudge, stories about November happenings – Saints and All Souls Day, Election Day, Veterans Day, National Bible Week, and Thanksgiving – seemed more fitting and my cup of tea! When I reread chapter six in my large print NIrV Bible, which gives each chapter a title and makes Old Testament readings more understandable, the urge to read the rest of Deuteronomy rose up inside. So, I read all 34 chapters and am so glad I did!

After completing the book, I thought of Jean Hatch with great love, respect, and yearning to be among her ‘Read through the Bible in One Year’ group members. Hopefully, one of the years I will be like Jean! Is reading your Bible top priority in your daily doings? Give me a glass of water with lemon, comfy clothes, almonds to munch, quiet time in my prayer room, porch, or daybed, and my Bibles…and I’m a happy little old lady. Duties to – family, church, work, recreation, community, civic, and other commitments we carve into our schedules – can keep our Bibles dusty and docked on a shelf where pages are crisp and clean and chapters unread!

When we fail or forget to keep God first with time, talents, and treasures, something suffers! I pray this story will nudge your heart – as it has mine- to read Old and New Testament writings while seeking a closer, daily walk with the Lord and loved ones. That’s what our heavenly Father and family need from us…a loving, respectful relationship! I challenge you to open your Bible and read the complete book, plan on sitting’ and reading for a spell if you open up to Psalms, before you head to church this Sunday, Nov. 10. Take time to digest, pray, and use a Concordance to explain things you may not understand. Reading the Bible can heal hearts and nations, like America, a land flowing with milk and honey and people blessed beyond measure not honoring and looking to the Lord as our first love.

Chapter six of Deuteronomy is right to read, write about, and live by ‘for such a time as this’ when wars and words kill dreams and people, hatred, deception, dishonor, pride, selfishness, idolatry, finger pointing, blame games, silent Christians, and sick news (not good news – which there is plenty of but we don’t hear about it or it only gets the last minute of a sixty minute nightly news cast. Social media can be our friend not foe if used to glorify God and get good news stories going viral!

Love the Lord Your God is the theme of Deuteronomy’s sixth chapter. Moses’ words give divine direction for God’s children telling them things would go well for them if they lived exactly like the Lord commanded, not going to the right or left, but being faithful to their calling, obedient to His Word, and keeping God their first love. In verse six, Moses commands Israel to listen to him, “The Lord is the one and only God. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love Him with all your strength. Make sure your children learn these commandments. Talk about them when you are at home, when you are walking along the road. Speak about them when you go to bed and when you get up. Write them down and tie them on your hands as a reminder…write them on your door-frames and on your gates.

These verses brought reality that we, the people living in America, have not followed God’s command to love Him first with all that we are and to teach our children to put Him first (for many things take His place in our hectic schedules, even on Sundays),nor do we keep our promises to Him.

Verses 13 – 20 impress the importance of worshiping God, the only one we should serve. When making promises, we should do so in his name and not serve other gods. Worshiping other gods (anything that comes before God) and testing the Lord makes him angry. When we do what is right and good in the Lord’s eyes, then things will go well with us.

During November, when political ploy already in place for 2020, will penetrate our nation with politicians’ smiling faces sharing truthful or untruthful promises. We must discern and do what God directs our hearts to do in times like this when people twist what Revelation warns ‘when what is wrong will seem right and what is right will seem wrong. How tired we will become of continuous news feeds and commercials of people seeking office who may or may not ‘be as they seem’. Each candidate seeking office should be required to read Deuteronomy (and chapters in James about the power of the tongue, lessons to listen more and speak less, and to honor God in our words and ways) and be held accountable for words and ways shared through any campaign tactics that are not pleasing to God…and to the people whom they seek to represent. What can we do when God is being demoted, people are falling away from His Word and honoring Him as our first love is frowned upon… we can pray!

Sharing scripture from Deuteronomy 33: 26-29 that shows God means business and longs to be our first love will hopefully penetrate hearts of all people living in America to bow down in honor and repentance, cry out to God, and make Him first love in their lives.

“There is no one like the God of Israel. He rides across the heavens just to help you…God lives forever! You can run to him for safety. His powerful arms are always there to carry you. He will drive out your enemies to make room for you. So, Israel will live in safety. Jacob will live secure in a land that has grain and fresh wine. There the heavens drop their dew. Israel, how blessed you are! Who is like you? The Lord has saved you. He keeps you safe. He helps you. Your enemies will bow down to you in fear. You will walk on the highest places of their lands”

Read those verses one more time and say America in the place of Israel. God is speaking for His Son could return any day; are we listening to Him or looking the other way?

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By Becky Spell Vann

Contributing columnist

Becky Spell Vann is the owner/operator of Tim’s Gift Love Ministry.