Thursday, April 25: “Earnestly Seeking the Lord”

Exodus 34: 23, 24: “Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your borders, and no man shall covet your land when you go up three times a year to appear before the Lord Your God.”

Was it a safe thing for every Israelite male to leave their home and their women unprotected while they went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem–three times a year? There’s earnest seeking, and then there’s risky business! But God promises that through such dedicated obedience to the feast-keeping, and even the sabbath-keeping (v. 21), He will enlarge their borders, and keep everything safe. So, when did He change this principle? Oh yeah, He didn’t.