Lessons Learned

As we sat down to begin reading through Deuteronomy as a family today, I was reminded yet again by the importance of seeing Scripture as a mirror, not just a portrait of others. It's easy to miss the lessons and guidance that God is trying to impart to us if we don't take the time to reflect.

In particular, today's reading from the first chapter reminded me to look back on my past experiences.

As Moses was preparing the Israelites to enter the promised land, He spent time reminding them of their past sins and charging them not to repeat them.

We too should take heed and not let our failures and lessons from the past to go to waste. This doesn't mean dwelling on our mistakes or shortcomings, but rather using them as an opportunity to learn and grow.

So today I encourage you to take a moment to reflect as well. May we repent from our sins, learn, and thank God for His forgiveness.

Moses was but a shadow of the one true leader, Christ Jesus, who leads us into a new and eternal promised land. May we seek His wisdom and guidance, learn from our past experiences, and walk confidently as pilgrims on our way home to our final promised land. May we stay close and true, so we can arrive in safety ... 

"The Lord has been pleased to prescribe to us a rule of life, in which we ought to test our own dispositions, and examine our own consciences, in order that we may thereby be stimulated to repentance, and may learn to fear his judgment." - John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 8, Section 2.