Daily Thoughts from Deuteronomy 25:17-19: Amalek (Amaleq)

27 Amalek (Amaleq)

Remember what ‘Amalek did to you on the road as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you by the road, attacked those in the rear, those who were exhausted and straggling behind when you were tired and weary. He did not fear God.  Therefore, when Yahweh your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies in the land Yahweh your God is giving you as your inheritance to possess, you are to blot out all memory of ‘Amalek from under heaven. Don’t forget!

(D’varim 25:17-19)

“Will you no longer care for me?”

He woke groggily to a warm morning just barely come and still dark enough to make him wonder if the woman at his fire was a trick being played on his eyes.  She was beautiful and the sorrow in her eyes moved him.

“Who are you?  Why are you here?”

“I am here to serve you if you will have me.  Please let me comfort you in your weariness and sorrow.”

She leaned in toward him to kiss him and her very loosely tied garments revealed a beautiful form.

“Stop, I don’t know who you are and you have no business here.”

“But my lord, I’ve been sent here to serve you.  I am nothing if I cannot be of help to you.  Please, will you meet my need of care?  I am alone in this world.  I can tell you are a man of character and strength.”

This was crazy!  What was going on?  How did this happen? And yet, there was something so easy about it and the comfort of it would be so welcomed.

“Father, though no one would know, no one would see, You know and You see.  Your purpose for me cannot be fulfilled if I yield to this, can it?  Such a temporary pleasure would lead to eternal consequences.”

“Satan, I know your work, playing on my time of weakness, playing on my desire to rescue another and satisfy a selfish desire at the same time.  You cannot reach me this way.  I will not betray my Father or my people.  Be gone!”

The woman disappeared.  He rubbed his eyes to make sure.  She was gone.  A mirage somehow created by satan.

He felt shaken.  It was so tempting, it would have been so easy to have given in to.  Even though it seemed totally improbable it was nevertheless enticing.  That squatting one would stoop to nothing to bring defeat and he must have guessed that this particular moment was most advantageous.

“Father, thank You for helping me resist this devil.”

He sat up with some difficulty and drank some water.  He reached for the scroll.  With trembling hands he read until he came to the portion about Amalek.

“He is my Amalek, Father, and I will not forget.  Thank You for being with me especially in my weakness.  Your strength is my sufficiency in all things and at all times.  I have come to do Your will but I need You to make that possible.  Thank You for never failing me.”

“I have opened your heart to obey My commands and I will always be at your side.”

The rest of the day was spent with very little activity.