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Deuteronomy 9:26-29 – Praying through the Bible #58 – A Prayer of Reminding
Not all memories are good memories, but even the bad ones can be good. At Trunnel Elementary School, in Louisville, KY, I had just won the “Most Improved Reader” Award – two tickets to the upcoming skating party given in honor of all the award winners. Immediately I invited my best friend, Paul Dean. The fact that I remember all of this is an omen of what happened next. One of the cool kids at school, his name is forgotten since he never was my friend, wanted to go. Wanting to be a cool kid myself, when he asked for the other ticket, I immediately said yes. Being cool was more important than being a good friend. Somehow my mother found out. That was not a good day. Down to the cool guy’s house I went. Slowly. Reluctantly. Forcibly. Down the hill, then one turn left onto his road. Then I had to confess and apologize to my friend. She wouldn’t even let me go with Paul after all this, which I didn’t think was fair. Funny looking back, I got upset because I didn’t think I was treated fairly.
Later, I invited another friend from church to come over to the house. He said yes. That Sunday, a cool guy from church invited him to spend the afternoon with him. He accepted. When I got mad because it was unfair, I stood in the parking lot at church and complained to my mom. She said, “That’s exactly what you did to your friend.” No sympathy; none deserved. Just a reminder of what I did wrong.
Moses, standing on the outside of Jordan, reminds Israel they can defeat the Anakim (Dt 9.2), despite their father’s fear. Moses reminds them they are not inheriting the land because of their righteousness (9.4), but because of the Canaanites wickedness and God’s promise to Abraham. Isaac, and Jacob (9.5). Moses reminds them of how they provoked Yahweh at Horeb, building the golden calf (9.7ff). Moses reminds them of how he threw down the two tablets, breaking them (9.17). Moses reminds them of how he pulverized the golden calf, mixed the gold dust with water (9.21). Then Moses reminds them of other places where Israel provoked God, Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-hattaavah, concluding with, “You have been rebelling against the LORD ever since I have known you” (9.24).
What continually saved stiffnecked (9.6,13) Israel from God’s destruction, from God’s wrath, was Moses’ interceding in prayer (9.26-29). He tells them what he prayed, and it is not flattering. He calls them stubborn, wicked and sinners (9.27). But he also calls them God’s people and inheritance (9.26). God was Israel’s best friend, but they didn’t treat him right or fairly. Moses shows us looking back at bad memories can be a good thing if we learn from our mistakes. I know one bad memory for me became good because someone had the love and courage to remind me.
Prayer Challenge: Although it might be painful, remember an act from your past that you have learned from, or one that you should have learned from. When we turn our past failures into future successes, even bad memories can be good.
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