As the children of Israel were finally preparing to enter the Promised land. Moses called together the assembly to enter into a “covenant (a binding contract) with the Lord thy God, and into his oath, which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day. That he may establish thee today for a people unto Himself, and that He may be unto thee: GOD (ALMIGHTY LORD OF ALL” (Deuteronomy 29: 12). But those among them, family, friends, and loved ones who would not enter this covenant were to be cut off from the close assembly lest there grow up among them a bitter root of gall and wormwood. None were to love anything more than God and they were to be careful of their heart’s desire, not to turn to worship anything or anyone more than God, Himself.
Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood. And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst. The Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven (Deuteronomy 29:18-20).
Avoiding Gall and Wormwood, What About Grace?
Avoiding disbelief, does not mean we do not witness of Christ to others. It does mean we guard our heart. We are to love the sinner and desire for their salvation; however, we are not to do so to the extent that we compromise with who we are in Christ Jesus.
It begins so easy with such good intentions. We see a soul that is hurting. Our character of Mercy wants so to step in and wrap our arms of God’s love around them; but then danger may arise. I know. It has happened to me and more than once. It isn’t long that instead of our transforming them, they begin to transform us. Laying aside our convictions, we make every excuse that we are doing this for God. But alas, we begin to stop reading God’s word. We may continue to pray; but our prayers become less about Him and more about us. Our joy in Christ begins to fade. Fear seeps into our heart. We miss going to church, as the one we love draws us away (instead of us drawing them in).
But what then? Is there any hope for us when we are drawn aside? If we only glance at this covenant God requires, we might say “No”. But that would not be true. Those whom God casts aside are those who never accepted His offer of a covenant. Their hardened heart never turned toward Him. Yet, they were the source of a bitter root of gall and wormwood within the camp.
When We Allow the Bitter Root of Gall and Wormwood
Certainly, I can tell you from my own personal appearance that great sadness and fear would enter in during those seasons when I continued outside His will. Often, for me, I truly believed the lies I had made up excusing my behavior. After all, this was the best I could hope for. Or so I thought. But it was there that God would meet me. That which I clung so hard to hold onto was often what I lost.
But what was so amazing, God always scooped up all the broken pieces of my heart and made something beautiful out of the disasters I had made. Only He could do that and He always will. There is nothing that can separate me from His love as is so beautifully written in Romans 8, not even me. How? Because the moment I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior 60 years ago, God signed a covenant with me in the blood of Jesus Christ and it is He who will complete the work He began in me so many years ago.
Still has there been a lot of pain along the journey? Yes. He has had to cut away all the stony, hardened parts of my heart. With the skill of the finest surgeon, He has had to remove all the plaque that blocks my heart from loving Him with the perfect love that I should. Whatever the loss, whatever the pain; it has been worth it all just to know Him as I know Him today. And He isn’t even done yet! I cannot imagine how my heart can know the depth of joy yet to be mine as right now it seems to overflow with His love and Joy.
His Promise IS True
Deuteronomy 30 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee,
2 And shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
3 That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee.
4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:
5 And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
HIS WORK/HIS TIME/
6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
7 And the Lord thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.
9 And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:
10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
Concluding Thoughts:
Where ever you are along this journey today, know this: God loves you. If you do not know Him as Lord and Savior, it begins there. Accept His gift of salvation through Jesus Christ through faith. Believe He is the Perfect Son of God who paid the penalty for your sins. And if you know Him, yet have strayed. Turn, repent before that root of bitterness leads to utter despair, for it will. Still, if it the gall and wormwood has wrapped itself around your heart; know this: God will create in you a clean heart when you turn your eyes to Him. He will complete the work He began in you.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because, He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2019
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