A Pleasing Apple

He found him in a desert land...he encircled him, he cared for him. – Deuteronomy 32:10

The "he" in this Song of Moses is the Lord and the "him" is Israel, the people of God. Note the grammar: who is the subject, who is the object, and what is the action described. Note the location described: a desert land.

It was not in the halls of a palace that the Lord found Israel, but in the howling waste of the wilderness. He found him there, that is (I think) the had searched for and found him. It was an intentional effort, not a random stumbling upon a lost wanderer. This is the heart of God: to find us. Recall God's word to Adam and Eve: Where are you? That is the language of seeking. And we should desire that he find us and that he delights to look in the desert places and not the halls of kings. For we all, regardless of our economic status, are destitute. If the Lord only searched in the halls of the wealthy, that is he only searched for those who impressed him, then we are all left clamoring for his affection, striving as we might and must to earn and gain his attention. (Perhaps we take up Elijah's taunt to the prophets of Baal to get God's attention.)

But the Lord searches among the desert land. What a grace that is, for then there is hope for you, me, all. It is not left to our effort, but his grace.

Moses sings on: He kept him as the apple of his eye. The Lord loves. The Lord loves you. Loves me. Why? How? How is it so that we have–not earned nor gained by our work!–his notice and affection? I suppose in a world not permeated by sin we would more readily understand, for there we would more readily understand grace. As of yet, in this world where we still suffer the infection of Satan, Sin, and Death, grace appears to be too much. And yet...grace is–it should be, we need it to be...–grace is enough.

Grace & Peace,

– Matthew+