“The eternal God is your Refuge and underneath are the everlasting Arms. . .”
Deuteronomy 33:27a
No firmer mattress has ever been found than His Promises and no softer pillow there has ever been than His strong, but loving Arms.
Anyone who’s ever been through an earthquake knows well how the ground shakes from side-to-side, even thrusting upwards at times like a rollercoaster. For several seconds the earth moves, but then grows still. Then shortly, usually just a few minutes later, there’ll be an aftershock. . . and another. . .and then another.
During those times, all you can do is just hang onto something—and hope that nothing falls on you. And, if you happen to be upstairs in a high-rise office or apartment building, you pray that everything will hold together until it’s over and you can plant your feet on solid ground.
Today’s Manna is a moving one, partly because of the one who spoke it and partly because of the time in which he said it. Moses had already been told that he would not get to enter the Promised Land, even though he’d spent 40 years tending sheep and then had to endure the wilderness for an additional 40 years because of the people’s unbelief (Num. 14:26-35).
Why did he not get to enter in?
“Because he trespassed against the Lord at Meribah-Kadesh and twice struck the rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded” (Dt. 32:48-52; Num. 20:9-13).
You would have thought such “wages of sin” would have made him bitter against God. But, Moses knew that God does all things well and trusted Him accordingly. And, what better way to demonstrate that than by blessing others and encouraging them to also follow the Lord.
One-by-one he called the 12 tribes of Israel by name, exhorting them to hear and heed God’s commandments (33:6-26). Then he spoke our Manna and reminded them that God is “the eternal God”. . .this unchanging One is “our Refuge” (Ps. 46:1; Heb. 6:18), in Whom we can find security, stability and serenity-of-soul. . .and regardless of what we’re going through or where we find ourselves, His sure, everlasting Arms “are still underneath” as the “sure and steadfast Anchor of the soul” (Heb. 6:19), drawing us close to His Heart.
Oh, dear Pilgrim, in these uncertain times, do you need a firm foundation? Find it in Christ’s Arms. Do you feel lonely, thinking no one cares, and wishing someone would give you a hug? Rest now in His loving Arms, knowing He’ll never let you go. Do you need someone on whom to lean? If so, He’s right there with you—ready, willing and able.
Stop right now and whisper those words aloud:
“And underneath are the everlasting arms of God.”
One more time: “And underneath are the everlasting arms of God.”
Now, go out today, continually remembering and repeating those words. And, don’t stop even if an earthquake of some crisis breaks in upon you. He’s faithful and His Arms are firm and unfailing—and that’s all that matters.
By Tom Smith, Morning Manna Dated September 16, 2009
