There are times when reading Scripture is difficult and hard to understand. Until we remember Who it is who is speaking to us. Deuteronomy 20 deals with when the people go to war. The first thing He tells them is do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt will be with you. v. 1. Then He says a curious thing. If they have built a home and not lived in it, been pledged to a woman but not yet married, planted a vineyard but not yet enjoyed it, afraid or fainthearted – then go home. v. 5-9.

If they come upon a city that does not belong to the nations the Lord is driving out, offer peace and they will work for them; however if they fight, kill all the men. v. 10-15. And then the strongest edict against the nations the Lord is driving out. Completely destroy them. Why? Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the Lord your God. v. 18. A dead end that way of life.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:16-21.

The way of darkness, the way of sin is a dead end. God is life. Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7. We get our very life from God who formed us and who spoke the vast Universe into being. He is the light that formed the world and has always spoken His truth to us. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness,” Genesis 1:26. Can you imagine? He created everything we see, everything we love and it was good. We can choose life. We can choose darkness.

The nations God was driving out chose darkness and God didn’t want His people to follow their example and sin against Him.

If there is one thing I am learning in my walk with God, it is that I can trust Him for everything. We rewatched The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5 again last night which depicted the woman who had bled for 12 long years (Luke 8:43-48) and who was considered “unclean” and she knew if she could just touch the edge of His garment, not rendering Him unclean, she would be healed. Jesus knew someone in faith had touched Him even though crowds were pressing all around Him. She thought she was healed because she touched His garment. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” Her faith in Jesus healed her.

That is what God offers us, His children formed in His likeness out of His great love for us. Faith and trust in Him. He is the One who heals us and brings us out of the darkness of dead ends to His love and truth and hope. He who created us knows the way. He has always known the way and it is good! Our faith in Him leads us into His life-giving love. Take His hand. He’s here loving you.