Your Very Life - No Empty Word

“Moses came and recited all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he and Joshua the son of Nun. And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he said to them, ‘Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.’” (Deuteronomy 32:44-47, ESV)

I stood on the beach with my family and inhaled a deep breath of salty sea air. I felt the warm sunshine on my face as icy cold water rushed over my feet and ankles. The sand squished between my toes. We had been looking forward to this getaway for months. My daughter, who was five at the time, stood between my husband and me, holding our hands and giggling. “Let’s go farther!” she exclaimed.

Suddenly, a large wave crashed with massive force, hitting hard against my daughter’s small frame. The strong current ripped her feet out from under her, and she was flailing, unable to get her footing.

That’s how I had felt almost every day for the last year: wave after wave had hit us, and I felt like my feet had been ripped out from under me. I was flailing, overwhelmed and unable to stand.

It had been almost a year since my husband was hospitalized and diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. Our three kids were young. I was working at a church part-time. He was on his second treatment option, and we had just found out that it wasn’t working. I was empty, weary, and numb.

It was in that season I began wrestling with God. Well-meaning people would say to me, “God is so faithful!” and “God is so good!”—but these days didn’t feel good and God didn’t feel faithful.

I needed to know the truth about God. Wading in the shallow waters of feel-good faith wasn’t cutting it. I needed deepwater truths—truths that would hold me together when the lies of the world crashed over me.

Today’s verses are part of Moses’ last charge to the Israelites. They have wandered the wilderness for forty years and now are standing on the edge of the Promised Land, but Moses will not be going with them (see Numbers 20). Moses passes the mantle of leadership to Joshua as he is about to die and gives one final encouragement to the whole nation:

And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.” —Deuteronomy 32:45-47, ESV

Can you hear the urgency in his voice? The Word of God is not empty. It is not worthless.

Our very lives depend on it.

We cannot take to heart that which we do not know. We cannot obey that which we do not know. In that season, I was desperate for life-giving words, and God so graciously began to help me see His character and His promises in the Bible.

Standing on that beach watching my daughter struggle to find her footing as the rip current continued to pull her feet out from under her, I realized something. My daughter was caught off guard by the wave, but Kris and I weren’t. We saw the wave coming and instinctively rooted our feet down and tightened our grip on our daughter’s hands. The wave knocked her over, but she was not overtaken. She was not lost because her daddy was holding her tight.

I do not know what waves are hitting you right now or what questions you are asking of God, but this I know: He is the firm foundation, the sure and steadfast anchor, the True Vine that is rooted deep.

He will not let you go.

Take It a Step Further:

I began asking one simple question when I opened my Bible: “What does this say about God?” Reading Scripture and asking this question has changed my life! I encourage you to go a little further today: pick a Psalm, read it, and make a list of all the characteristics of God from the passage.

Prayer:

God, as I open the Bible today, please show me who you are. Teach me about your character and your truth. I know that it is not empty or worthless. Help me take to heart what I study today and give me life according to your Word.