Depression

Synopsis     Deuteronomy 28:64-29:5     3/23/2018

Moses continued in his prophecy. He anticipated that the relentless pressure of the curses would lead the people to be scattered amongst the nations. For the survivors, this would lead to a deep state of depression.

With this, the prophecy of curses ends. Moses then announced to the people that with this covenant, they have entered into a new level of responsibility. Specifically, he observed how God had invested in them a heart of understanding, with “eyes to see” and “ears to hear”.

And with this, they could no longer rely on Moses, or anyone else, for their individual or collective relationship with God.

Depression

“In the morning you will say, ‘Would that it were evening!’ And in the evening you will say, ‘Would that it were morning!'”.

The hopeless despair that tells you life is not worth living. The condition where the moment is never enough – where I am never enough to meet the moment. Meaninglessness is a feeling. It is the futile feeling of chasing after the wind knowing that it will never be caught.

It’s curious how precarious mental health can be – how even a well-adjusted, bright, intelligent person can fall into despondency, despair and depression seemingly in the turn of a moment.

Eyes to See, Ears to Hear

“Eyes to see and ears to hear”… Jesus used this expression. Eight times for those who count. But it is usually forgotten that Moses used the expression first; that Jesus was making a reference to Moses.

Moses told the people that having eyes that see, and ears that hear, and a heart that understands, was a gift from God. He told them that this gift was only given at the appropriate time.

When everything is a darkness, I feel the darkness. I am alone. Utterly alone.

Except I’m not – not really. God is with me. And the souls of the millions who have gone before me in faith are near. But my ears are closed and my eyes are blind and my heart is hard. So I remain breathlessly still.

Though I know that I’ll never deserve it, if I remain constant the gift will come – even to me.

“For it is said: “Oh, that today you would hear his voice: Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion.’” Heb 3:15