[Moses said:] “You belong to the LORD your God."

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: DEUTERONOMY 7:6A

TODAY'S READING:

The Lord's Own People

(Exodus 34.11-16)

1 “The Lord your God will bring you into the land that you are going to occupy, and he will drive many nations out of it. As you advance, he will drive out seven nations larger and more powerful than you: the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.2When the Lord your God places these people in your power and you defeat them, you must put them all to death. Do not make an alliance with them or show them any mercy.3Do not marry any of them, and do not let your children marry any of them,4because then they would lead your children away from the Lord to worship other gods. If that happens, the Lord will be angry with you and destroy you at once.5 So then, tear down their altars, break their sacred stone pillars in pieces, cut down their symbols of the goddess Asherah, and burn their idols.6 Do this because you belong to the Lord your God. From all the peoples on earth he chose you to be his own special people.

7“The Lord did not love you and choose you because you outnumbered other peoples; you were the smallest nation on earth.8But the Lord loved you and wanted to keep the promise that he made to your ancestors. That is why he saved you by his great might and set you free from slavery to the king of Egypt.9 Remember that the Lord your God is the only God and that he is faithful. He will keep his covenant and show his constant love to a thousand generations of those who love him and obey his commands,10but he will not hesitate to punish those who hate him.11Now then, obey what you have been taught; obey all the laws that I have given you today.

REFLECT:

When the Israelites were preparing to occupy Canaan, they were told to defeat the people who occupied the land. Total destruction was intended in order to remove temptations that would cause the people to turn their backs on the LORD. Are there temptations today that cause people to turn away from God?

#PRAY

Sovereign God, I know that I belong to you. May I never turn away from you. When temptations come my way, give me the strength and will to remain loyal to you, trusting in your constant love and care. Amen.