Contemplative Bible Reading

Deuteronomy 29:24-25 (New Living Translation)

24 And all the surrounding nations will ask, ‘Why has the Lord done this to this land? Why was he so angry?’ 25 And the answer will be, ‘This happened because the people of the land abandoned the covenant that the Lord, the God of their ancestors, made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt…’

The “surrounding nations” in these verses are those other folks. You know, “them” and “they.” The ones who are not “us.”

Those other folks—despite not being one of us—knew about God the Creator. They knew about the works of God the Creator. They knew about the special relationship God the Creator had with one group of people.

And because they knew God too, they could observe what happened to this special group of people (us) and wonder about it.

I thank God that I live in the age of grace created by the blood of Jesus. Still, I have this silly notion of “us” and “them” with me today. I know God. And I know that those other folks know God, too. And I know that those other folks see how and live and the consequences that come into my life.

I pray the same thing for those other folks that I pray for myself. “Please God, help me (and them) with my (our) unbelief.”

Please God, bring us all closer to You.