October 16, 2013
MAKE ROOM FOR GRACE AND FORGIVENESS
Deuteronomy 19:1-10
Sarah Moon
Central Truth
God values our lives so much that He gives us a plan. So when we make mistakes or when life gets hard, all we have to do is draw near to Him.
Key Verse | Deuteronomy 19:9
"If you carefully observe all this commandment which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in His ways always -- then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three." (Deuteronomy 19:9)
Deuteronomy 19:1-10
Laws Concerning Cities of Refuge
1 When the LORD your God cuts off the nations whose land the LORD your God is giving you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses, 2 you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess. 3 You shall measure the distances 1 19:3 Hebrew road and divide into three parts the area of the land that the LORD your God gives you as a possession, so that any manslayer can flee to them.
4 This is the provision for the manslayer, who by fleeing there may save his life. If anyone kills his neighbor unintentionally without having hated him in the past— 5 as when someone goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down a tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies—he may flee to one of these cities and live, 6 lest the avenger of blood in hot anger pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him fatally, though the man did not deserve to die, since he had not hated his neighbor in the past. 7 Therefore I command you, You shall set apart three cities. 8 And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land that he promised to give to your fathers— 9 provided you are careful to keep all this commandment, which I command you today, by loving the LORD your God and by walking ever in his ways—then you shall add three other cities to these three, 10 lest innocent blood be shed in your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance, and so the guilt of bloodshed be upon you.
Dive Deeper | Deuteronomy 19:1-10
This passage expands on the sixth commandment, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). In this passage, God is not saying how horrible it is to murder or what kind of punishment you get if you kill someone. Rather, He explains how He wants to provide a way for anyone to escape and receive forgiveness, grace, and understanding when they make a mistake. This shows us how important life is to God, that He would provide for the cities of refuge. Your life, my life, or any other sinner's life -- all are equally important to God.
I don't know about you, but I've made a lot of mistakes in my life. I have never taken the life of another person, but I have spent a lot of time killing the plan God has for me because I want to live my way. The hard part now is figuring out how to move past that and forgive others and myself, to make room for God's grace to be overflowing.
This passage shows me that God loves us unconditionally and completely. The same God who made Noah's rain (Genesis 7); parted the Red Sea (Exodus 14); healed the lame, crippled, blind, and mute (Matthew 15:30); and raised Jesus Christ from the dead (Matthew 28) is now commanding us to make room in case we make a mistake. All we have to do is obey Him. The power of God's love can overpower all of our mistakes.
Romans 8:38-39 tells us that there is nothing in this world or the spiritual realm that can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die on a cross for us, to redeem us from our sins and struggles, and to allow us to spend eternity with Him. Jesus' death separates our sin from us, so stop running back to that sin and run to Him. Let God's love pour over your life; let Him wash you white as snow; and let Him make room for grace and forgiveness.
Discussion Questions
1. How has God provided for you lately?
2. Do you believe the Lord has forgiven you completely?
3. What can you change in your life to better love the Lord and walk in His ways?
4. In what ways do you live differently because of God's love for you?