Passage Read: Deuteronomy 8-11
Meditation Verses: 11:22-25
Thought
The Lord intended to give Israel all the land between the Euphrates and the Mediterranean sea. Under David and Solomon, they controlled all that area and beyond, but they didn't possess it. They were supposed to drive out the nations that lived there. But when they were powerful enough to do so, they made peace with them and let them live. That wasn't what the Lord has promised, because He knew they would just go back to being enemies when Israel weakened and they would influence Israel to follow other gods. They were rejected people, rejected by the Lord, so they were marked for destruction. But Israel learned to live with less than what God had promised. Maybe they considered themselves better than the Lord, willing to be content with less, willing to show compassion to their enemies and let them live. But that was rebellion against God, which turned His blessing and protection away from them and kept them under the influence of godless people. He helped them in some ways, but they missed out on the full blessing He intended. They lived more under His disappointment than His blessing, but the fullness of His blessing was not too far for them to reach.
Application
That's what we're missing today in the Church and among believers. We enjoy a degree of God's favor and that's enough for us. It's not bad, especially in more developed countries, but it's not the full blessing God wants to release upon us. We have enough, some of us have much more than we need; we're blessed! But we can't see the signs from God that we're not fully blessed, how so much of God's blessing remains withheld, because we have no clear idea of what He has on offer! We're like the Israelites who returned from captivity and sowed their fields and reaped a harvest, but it was only 60% of what it should have been and could have been, because the Lord was offended by their selfishness. They were back in their own land, that was a blessing, but their labors weren't returning the profit they hoped for, but enough that they could get by. They couldn't or wouldn't see God's discipline because it wasn't complete rejection. God wants my wholehearted faith and obedience, not my 90% or 80% or even 50%. I need to train myself to hope for better things and believe God is able to do what He did for His Son and His apostles, not in terms of material blessing but in terms of fruitfulness and effectiveness of ministry. Materially, I should have enough to live on, but spiritually, I should see hearts truly and deeply changed, and clear distinction between those who follow and those who don't love Jesus. I shouldn't be looking for wealth, but provision; I should be looking for repentance and changed lives and evangelistic passion, and especially men giving their lives to Christ's service! I should look for that in myself and in those around me, if I'm truly finding favor with God.