Asaph, a Levite appointed by David as one of the musicians and worship leaders, struggled with envy and comparing himself to others. Asaph perceives the wicked people to be healthy, rich, and free of trouble. He becomes doubtful about God and wonders whether serving God is even worth his time. Our question is this: “Are there times in your life where comparing yourself to others causes resentment of God?”

As we wrap up reading the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses is nearing the end of his life. We have already been reading Moses calling the people of Israel to renew their commitment to the Lord. Now we read a final message from Moses that sums up everything. The repetition usually emphasizes the importance of receiving the message. We find God speaking through Moses to his people.

The chapters we read this past week continue to restate the code of conduct for Israel. I was particularly struck by chapter 26. The chapter starts, “When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket” (26:1-2a).