PSALM 91 – A TESTIMONY OF MOSES

Psalm 91:1-2 (New Living Translation)

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

 

It is commonly believed that Moses wrote Psalm 91 when Israel was traveling through the desert on their journey to the Promised Land.

We remember that during their 40 years journey, a cloud was always over the children of Israel during the day to protect them from the sun; and a pillar of fire appeared in the middle of their camp at night to provide light, warmth, and security (check out Exodus 13:21). Psalm 91 is thus a testimony of how God cares for his children.

While it is often difficult for us to see the many ways God cares for us, especially in times of trouble and trials, we have the testimony and praise of people like Moses, to encourage us. Moses lived in the palace of Egypt from birth till he was 40; was then driven away and lived a tough life as a shepherd for another 40 years.

During his 40 years as a shepherd Moses must have felt abandoned; likely concluded he was a failure; and lived with pain at not being able to rescue Israel from slavery. All this turned around when Moses met God at the burning bush and was empowered to go deliver Israel (check out Exodus 3 for this terrific experience). 

We see Moses in Psalm 91, now as deliverer of Israel with full support from God, testifying that ‘those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty… he is my God, and I trust him.’ Moses speaks strongly to us today, let’s not give up on God no matter the challenges we face – Amen!

 

Image: Moses and the burning bush (Source: Wikimedia)

OUR DAILY BREAD

 

Luke 11:1-4 (World English Bible)

…when he [Jesus] finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”

He said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on Earth, as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’“

 

While some scholars say Jesus was born 1,250 years after God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt (the exodus), others say he was born 1,500 years after. During this long length of time, Israel had occupied the promised land, and under King Solomon, silver was as common as ordinary stones in Israel (1 Kings 10:27).

The Israelites saw God fulfill his word to bring them into a land of milk and honey (see my previous blogs MILK AND HONEY – Part 1 and MILK AND HONEY – Part 2); but by the time Jesus was born, many lived in poverty. This was because Israel became a wealthy nation and forgot about God; consequently life became difficult for them.

When Jesus came and was performing great miracles, his followers were amazed. They observed that he was prayerful, and felt this was why he was so powerful. They therefore asked to be taught how to pray. Jesus taught them to pray about heavenly issues, to pray about their sins, and to pray also for regular daily bread.

We should be concerned about heavenly issues and therefore study our Bible regularly to understand heavenly issues better and better. We should also pray for our daily needs for our spirit, soul and body, and do so without doubts whether God will answer. To be spiritual is not a call to a life of starvation, disease, and misery. 

O God of heaven, give us day by day our daily bread, in Jesus name, Amen!   

Read – Pray – Share!

 

Image: Homemade White Bread with Honey By TheCulinaryGeek from Chicago, USA – Homemade White Bread with HoneyUploaded by the wub, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27753532

MILK AND HONEY – Part 1

Exodus 3:7-10 (New Living Translation)

Then the LORD told him [Moses], “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey… Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me… You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

Would Israel have followed Moses, if his message to them was ‘I will rescue you out of Egypt and take you into bondage to the Canaanites‘. I doubt it!

We all hope for a higher quality of life, free of poverty, suffering, and oppression.

This is why the most popular message from the Bible to a large number of professed Christians today, is the gospel of milk and honey. The gospel with the message that God wants to rescue us all from Egypt into a land flowing with milk and honey.

Egypt has come to represent everything evil and oppressive in our personal lives, family relationships, and societies in which we live in. Everybody has a ‘Egypt experience‘, moreso in poor countries in Africa, Asia, and South America.

So the gospel of milk and honey has many followers rightly desperate to get out of poverty. If poor countries were to become as wealthy as rich countries today, some think the gospel of milk and honey might not be so attractive.

Until then, the Church and her gospel of milk and honey provides hope to many poor and suffering people, telling them that though their governments are failing them, heaven won’t, and God will bless their hard work with good success.

May the Lord lead us into ‘well watered lands’ flowing with milk and honey, Amen! 

Read – Pray – Share!

 

Image:  Milk with honey, By Nandhinikandhasamy – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40029266