Deuteronomy 1:1-8: a reflection

1These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suf, between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab. 2It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea. 3In the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the LORD had given him in commandment to them, 4after he had struck Sihon the king of the Amorites who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan who lived in Ashtaroth, at Edrei. 5Beyond the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses began to declare this law, saying, 6“The LORD our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying, ‘You have lived long enough at this mountain. 7Turn, and take your journey, and go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all the places near there: in the Arabah, in the hill country, in the lowland, in the South, by the seashore, in the land of the Canaanites, and in Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. 8Behold, I have set the land before you. Go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to your fathers—to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob—to give to them and to their offspring after them.’”

As Moses recounts Israel's journey, he recalls a word God gave them at Horeb: You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Turn and take your journey; go in and possess the land I have set before you. The people had camped at the mountain for a time; but the time came for God to say, you have stayed long enough; move forward. God called them not to linger where they were, but to move on toward what he had set before them.

Notice God's word: you have stayed long enough; turn and go. There was a time to camp at the mountain; but there came a time to move on, and God called them to it. He did not want them to linger indefinitely where they were, comfortable and settled; he called them forward, to move on toward the land he had set before them. There is a time to stay, and a time to move on; and God called them, when the time came, to move forward rather than linger.

That word, you have stayed long enough; move forward, can come to us as well. There are seasons and places God leads us to camp for a time; but there can come a time when God calls us to move on, not to linger where we have grown comfortable and settled. We can be tempted to stay too long, to linger where we are, even when God is calling us forward. When God calls you to move forward, do not linger where you have grown comfortable, unwilling to leave the familiar; hear his word, you have stayed long enough; turn and go. There is a time to move on, toward what God has set before you; do not stay too long where you are when God is calling you forward. Be willing, when God calls, to leave the familiar mountain and move on toward what he has set before you, rather than lingering where you have grown settled, as Israel was called to leave Horeb and go forward into the land God had set before them.

Lord, as Moses recounted Israel's journey, he recalled a word you gave at Horeb: you have stayed long enough at this mountain; turn and take your journey; go in and possess the land I have set before you. There was a time to camp at the mountain; but the time came for you to say, you have stayed long enough; move forward. Show me your word: you have stayed long enough; turn and go. You did not want them to linger indefinitely where they were, comfortable and settled; you called them forward. There is a time to stay, and a time to move on; and you called them, when the time came, to move forward. That word can come to me as well. There are seasons and places you lead me to camp for a time; but there can come a time when you call me to move on, not to linger where I have grown comfortable. I can be tempted to stay too long, to linger where I am, even when you are calling me forward. When you call me to move forward, keep me from lingering where I have grown comfortable, unwilling to leave the familiar; help me hear your word, you have stayed long enough; turn and go. There is a time to move on, toward what you have set before me; keep me from staying too long when you are calling me forward. Make me willing, when you call, Lord, to leave the familiar and move on toward what you have set before me. Help me move forward when you call.