Daily Thoughts from Deuteronomy 26:5-11: Firstfruits (Reshith)

28 Firstfruits (Reshith)

Then, in the presence of Yahweh your God, you are to say, ‘My ancestor was a nomad from Aram. He went down into Egypt few in number and stayed. There he became a great, strong, populous nation.  But the Egyptians treated us badly; they oppressed us and imposed harsh slavery on us.  So we cried out to Yahweh, the God of our ancestors. Yahweh heard us and saw our misery, toil and oppression; and Yahweh brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and a stretched-out arm, with great terror, and with signs and wonders.  Now he has brought us to this place and given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.  Therefore, as you see, I have now brought the firstfruits of the land which you, Yahweh, have given me.’ You are then to put the basket down before Yahweh your God, prostrate yourself before Yahweh your God, and take joy in all the good that Yahweh your God has given you, your household, the Levite and the foreigner living with you.

(D’varim 26:5-11)

“Sovereign Father, it is not yet the time of Firstfruits but I give to you what I have, myself, and declare that my ancestor was a wandering nomad who ended up in Egypt and whom You delivered from our harsh treatment there by your wondrous power and delivered us to this land of milk and honey.  I take joy in all that you have given us.  I take joy in my mother’s and father’s household, in my brothers and sisters, in the work you gave me to do as a carpenter and now as the one who announces the coming kingdom.  I know death awaits me, but I also know life awaits me.  I am Your firstfruits of a harvest to come which will include all peoples.  Only help me to pass this great test.  Continue to invest Your word in me.  May it grow and produce a harvest of its own.  Erchampka, Yahweh, chizqi.  I love You, O Yahweh my strength.”

He felt stronger today.  Moshe’s words had strengthened him as much as a day of full rest.  He chose to take a walk to meditate and pray and to enjoy God’s good land.

He recited one of his favorite passages from Yesha‘yahu.

“The desert and the dry land will be glad; the ‘Aravah will rejoice and blossom like the lily.  It will burst into flower, will rejoice with joy and singing, will be given the glory of the L’vanon, the splendor of Karmel and the Sharon.  They will see the glory of Yahweh, the splendor of our God.  Strengthen your drooping arms, and steady your tottering knees.  Say to the fainthearted, “Be strong and unafraid!  Here is your God; he will come with vengeance; with God’s retribution he will come and save you.  Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped; then the lame man will leap like a deer, and the mute person’s tongue will sing.  For in the desert, springs will burst forth, streams of water in the ‘Aravah; the sandy mirage will become a pool, the thirsty ground springs of water.  The haunts where jackals lie down will become a marsh filled with reeds and papyrus.  A highway will be there, a way, called the Way of Holiness.  The unclean will not pass over it, but it will be for those whom he guides — fools will not stray along it.  No lion or other beast of prey will be there, traveling on it.  They will not be found there, but the redeemed will go there.  Those ransomed by Yahweh will return
and come with singing to Tziyon, on their heads will be everlasting joy.  They will acquire gladness and joy, while sorrow and sighing will flee.”

“One day, my Father, this yeshimon will blossom like a garden, like the garden in Eden.  You will accomplish this even as Your prophets have foretold.  But today I walk it in its unfinished state, recalling as I do that the bloom will not come before the burning heat of the sun.  I know that there is much that Your people must walk through before we see that day.  I know that to You a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day.  But You are patiently waiting until all You have called have come to You.  Nevertheless, I long for the day and pray for Your kingdom to come, for Your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.  May Your name be exalted over all the earth and may the knowledge of You flow like a mighty river.”

He watched the sunset over this wild land from a higher vantage on top of the escarpment.  The golden colors on the landscape filled his heart with hope and promise in what God was going to accomplish.  It was a good day.