When Moving … (A Devotional Thought)

Just recently read or listened to Deuteronomy 31 and 32 as part of my devotions.
Of course I would recommend reading for yourself these passages and chapters.
I feel like there is another layer I was starting to see and digest, and that was in how Israel was given warnings before they entered the promised land as well as the pass down from Moses to Joshua. 
God was giving Moses and Israel a song and told them about their disobedience in the future even after entering the land, chasing after new idols and worshiping things not God.  I believe I was hearing the song would be a call back and reminder to return to the God of Israel that brought them out of the land as well as pointing out prophetic words of how they disobeyed. To some extent I wondered if there’s to a connection of how much songs nowadays as contemporary, worship songs or old hymns might point us back to refocus on God after shifting away. 
In either case, God was telling the Israelites to put to memory and song words of encouragement and a reminder not just for that generation but for their kids.  In short it made me think what could be encouraged for a pass down for kids and future generations.

So in these passages, there were some things changing for israel.  There was a leadership change and they were soon to enter the land God promised.  Obviously, God knew what was to come and he knew changes were happening and he knew people. God said more than once “be strong and courageous”. I think this encouragement also ties very much into the verse and passage for “be still and know I am God”. God was meeting with Moses and the Israelites to give words of encouragement and direction in these passages in Deuteronomy, so He was with them. 

I would not say I am an expert in being strong and courageous; yet, in endeavoring to do so I feel that I need to know where I am weak and where I need to step out in faith of God’s strength.  In that examining, I need to examine myself on a regular or routine basis for sin in my life as well as looking to see where I can relinquish control to what God is doing – at least I try. And in the act and doing of being being still and know that he is God does not mean we are inactive or not doing things.  It also means that there are ways we can be active or not still that are not just physical but also mental, spiritual things and things like that. At least for me, I try to remind myself or wonder if I am being still enough in times when I need to better pay attention to what he is trying to say in my thinking or physical activity as well as what are things I can still do within my own control and sphere of influence.  Makes me think of trying to talk to one of my kids at times where I feel like I need to remind them to just settle down, look at me and pay attention.
It seems that transitions and changes allow for easier opportunities to shift our focus and attention of worship to idols and other things rather than staying it on God. 
And feelings and human reactions are expected going into changes and transitions, but God reminds us to be strong and courageous.  And that’s best done in communion and staying and being with God, sometimes being still or stilling things that want to move.