In
Deuteronomy chapter 8, Moses warns the nation of Israel the way they
must fully possess the Promised Land is to remain humble. Moses
begins, “Be
careful“.
That sounds like something a parent will call out to their child,
knowing there are hidden dangers ahead. He explains, “In
order to enter and possess the land…remember how the Lord your God
led you all the way in the desert these forty years to humble you“.
The secret to avoiding pride is to remember the junk we were brought
out of in our past. “He
brought you out of slavery…He led you through the vast and dreadful
desert… waterless land with its venomous snakes and scorpions… He
brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat“.
Moses tells them the purpose was to humble them. Some of us spent a
long time in a spiritual desert because we were too proud to confess
we are weak and need God. Often, it is not until we sample the
abundance of God that we recognize our own emptiness.
Then
Moses warns them of another danger that we all need to be aware of.
“When
you eat and are satisfied, when you build your fine houses and settle
down, and… your silver and gold increase… you may say to
yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this
wealth for me.” Moses
says directly,
“You will become proud and forget the Lord”.
Moses
again brings us back to the key point,
“But
remember the Lord your God, for it is He that gives you the ability
to produce wealth.”
Moses implores them, “When
you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord for the good land
He has given you“.
We must never put our faith in our “stuff”. Don’t miss the
reason God blesses us, “And
so confirms the covenant He made with your forefathers“.
Once again we are blessed because God is faithful. Our possessions
can become idols that come between God and us. Listen to the
warning: “If
you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods… you will
surely be destroyed“.
Contrary
to the teaching of some, God does not promise all of us material
wealth; He promises to meet our needs. I’m convinced many of us do
not have great wealth because it would turn our hearts away from God.
In the book of Philippians, the apostle Paul explains he had all the
success and prestige the world could offer. He was “a
Hebrew of Hebrews“,
until he came face to face with Jesus Christ and realized his
self-righteous religion did not make him holy. He saw that his
failure to keep all the law only confirmed his need for a Savior. Of
his life before Christ, he said, “I
consider everything as rubbish compared to the surpassing greatness
of knowing Jesus Christ as my Lord“.
Wherever you are spiritually, remember the warning of Moses and
listen to the words of James 4:10, “Humble
yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up.“