Wednesday 16 August 2023

Today is Wednesday 16 August, in the 19th week of Ordinary time.

Jonathan David and Melissa Helser sing, ‘Find Me’.


I fall down upon the ground
Press my face against the earth
Till my heart it rises over my head
As the wheat it bows down low
When the autumn wind blows
I kneel before the One I love
Find me grateful
Find me thankful
Find me on my knees
Find me dreaming
Find me singing
Find me lost in Your grace
Like the dust that You first held
In a garden where You knelt
Pull me up against Your face again
Till the breath of Your hope
Fill the depths of my soul
Till all I know is I’ve been found by love

Today’s reading is from the Book of Deuteronomy.


Deuteronomy 34: 1 - 12


Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. The Lord said to him, ‘This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, “I will give it to your descendants”; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.’ Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord’s command. He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigour had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.

Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequalled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

Moses has led his people out of Egypt. For forty years he has wandered through the wilderness with them. Now they are on the brink of entering the land God has promised them. But Moses will not live to see that happen. What is your initial response as you hear this story?

The idea of having a land promised by God can be difficult politically. Is there anything about that idea that you would want to bring into this time of prayer?

Joshua, named the successor of Moses, is here said to be “full of the spirit of wisdom”. What might that look like in practice? Is it a gift that you would want for yourself?

Listen, as the last part of this passage is read again, to how the people of Israel remembered Moses.

We worship the same God who called Moses to serve him. Speak to God now about whatever you have most noticed in this time of prayer.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.