Devotionals Detail

Reading: Deuteronomy 31:1-30

Moses was the spiritual leader of the people known as Israel. He had been the one anointed by God to release the Israelites from Pharoah’s slavery in Egypt. The Israelites had experienced Yahweh’s work through Moses as they were protected from the plagues and the Red Sea parted. They had seen Moses’ staff pour water out of a rock in times of thirst. They had watched Moses speak to God at the top of Mount Sinai and receive the Ten Commandments. They had seen how the power of Moses’ prayer resulted in manna and quail daily. God had been so present in Moses’ leadership that they had witnessed it - a pillar of smoke by day and fire by night traveled with them for 40 years in the wilderness. It was obvious Moses was divinely appointed for such a time as they needed him. So as the time in the wilderness is ending, and they are about to enter the long-awaited promised land, they would expect Moses to be the one to lead them into it. But he isn’t.

In this passage of Deuteronomy 31, Moses shares that he is not going to be the one who crosses the Jordan into the land which God promised. It will be a new leader – Joshua. The people are astounded, shocked, grieving, anxious… how will they continue without the leader they know and love? How would the next person possibly measure up to the fundamental presence Moses has given them as a witness of God’s revelation?

And so, Moses gives them instruction and vision: gather all of the families around and recognize that from now on they would be known as “People of the Book.” The Levitical priests and families are now the ones who will teach every household to follow God’s Commandments, as written. This new order is designed to teach God’s laws from one generation to the next. It is a structure assuring the Israelites to not rely on one individual leader, but rather God’s role and rule as primary. Moses is recentering them to move from asking “How will we continue without Moses?” to ask, “How will we continue with God’s Book?”

As many of you received the news today that Kerry Mays is resigning as our Director of Children’s ministry, you might have had a similar response as the people of Israel. Kerry has been on our staff for the past 5 years and led our children’s ministry to a whole new level of development. She guided our children and families out of the Covid pandemic wilderness wanderings, when we only had 16 children attending regularly in 2021. Today we have 60 children participating regularly thanks to her dedication, creativity, faithfulness and sacrifice of time, talent and treasure. We have seen God’s work in her, and experienced God’s provision through her. There are many of us – who might feel that twinge of panic like the Israelites – wondering – how will we function without her leadership on staff? (That was certainly my reaction as well!) This Scripture provides me comfort, knowing that as we center our hearts and minds upon our collective role of raising children up in the faith – we will receive God’s blessing. As Kerry has been a gift to our staff for this season of the life of the church, so will God be at work in the next. As we focus ourselves to continue to be “People of the Book,” we will be raising the next generation of disciples, which is exactly what God tells the people of Israel to do. In trusting one another and the many church households and teachers and laity who come together to continue the traditions of the faith, we will find peace that God is at work in our future.

Today, I am asking all of you to please be part of that work – whether it is volunteering for Vacation Bible School, or assisting in children’s Sunday school, or simply reaching out to Alice Pollard or Kerry Mays, to ask how you can help. It will require all of us coming together to be “People of the Book” – leading the next generation as we walk into the future together. Please be in prayer for our SPRC committee as they begin the search process for a new Director of Children’s Ministries and prayerfully consider how you can be part of uniting together with God’s help and God’s Book to raise the next generation of faithful disciples.