Deuteronomy 2:31-37: a reflection

31The LORD said to me, “Behold, I have begun to deliver up Sihon and his land before you. Begin to possess, that you may inherit his land.” 32Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Jahaz. 33The LORD our God delivered him up before us; and we struck him, his sons, and all his people. 34We took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones. We left no one remaining. 35Only the livestock we took for plunder for ourselves, with the plunder of the cities which we had taken. 36From Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the valley, even to Gilead, there was not a city too high for us. The LORD our God delivered up all before us. 37Only to the land of the children of Ammon you didn’t come near: all the banks of the river Jabbok, and the cities of the hill country, and wherever the LORD our God forbade us.

As Israel faces Sihon and his land, God says something worth noticing: Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you; begin to possess, that you may inherit his land. God had begun the work; and he calls Israel to begin acting on it, to begin possessing what he had begun to give. God's initiative comes first, beginning the work; and then Israel is called to respond, to begin acting on what God had begun.

Notice the order: God begins, and then calls Israel to begin. I have begun to give, God says; now begin to possess. God's initiative came first; he had begun the work of giving Sihon over. And then Israel was called to act in response, to begin possessing what God had begun to give. They were not to act on their own initiative alone, nor to wait passively for God to do everything; they were to begin acting on what God had already begun. God's beginning called forth their beginning.

That pattern, of acting in response to what God has begun, is worth taking to heart. God often begins a work, takes the initiative, and then calls us to begin acting on what he has started. We are not to act on our own initiative alone, nor to wait passively while doing nothing; we are to respond to God's initiative, beginning to act on what he has begun. When God has begun a work, opening a way, taking the initiative, do not sit passively waiting; begin to act on what he has begun, as Israel was called to begin possessing what God had begun to give. God's beginning calls forth your beginning; when he has started something, step out in response, acting on what he has begun. Look for what God has begun, the doors he has opened, the works he has started, and begin to act on them, as Israel was called to begin possessing what God had begun to give them, rather than waiting passively or acting only on your own.

Lord, as Israel faced Sihon, you said something worth noticing: behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you; begin to possess, that you may inherit his land. You had begun the work; and you called Israel to begin acting on it. Your initiative came first; and then Israel was called to respond. Show me the order: you begin, and then call me to begin. Your initiative came first; you had begun the work. And then Israel was called to act in response, beginning to possess what you had begun to give. They were not to act on their own initiative alone, nor to wait passively; they were to begin acting on what you had already begun. Take that pattern to my heart. You often begin a work, take the initiative, and then call me to begin acting on what you have started. I am not to act on my own initiative alone, nor to wait passively while doing nothing; I am to respond to your initiative. When you have begun a work, opening a way, taking the initiative, keep me from sitting passively waiting; help me begin to act on what you have begun, as Israel was called to begin possessing what you had begun to give. Your beginning calls forth my beginning; when you have started something, help me step out in response. Help me look for what you have begun, Lord, the doors you have opened, and begin to act on them, rather than waiting passively or acting only on my own.