As I read these chapters, I saw a strong theme. I know that there are many other principles in this section, but I chose to focus on the one that was most clear to me: Give God the credit for the success in your life.
Chapter 7
Verse 7 The Hebrews were not the biggest, or the mightiest, or even the most righteous. In fact, in many instances they were the opposite of those things. God chose His people, not according to what they could do for Him, but what He could do through them. How does this apply to our own lives? One way is service. I have been wary to volunteer in areas where I am "unsteady". I didn't want to teach girls' Sunday School, because I felt like I wasn't "good" enough. But I made myself available to that ministry anyway, and God showed me incredible things. I taught that Sunday School for two years, and each week during the prep time, I would worry that the lesson was too complex. How do I explain these things in a simple way so that girls with limited Bible knowledge can understand. Week after week, I would go the class, still unsure about how to present it. And week after week, God would present me with the sudden insight to explain these things in a clear, simple way that pertained the their lives. There are still areas of service that make me break into a cold sweat...but I think God is just waiting for me to jump out there so that He can work through me. Is there something like that in your own life?
Check out verses 12-15 Within God's will is a great place to be.
Chapter 8
I think that verse 3 is a key verse in Christianity. God doesn't take things away from us to be cruel. He does it to remind us that He is the one who provides.
I think verses 4-5 are worth remembering, too. Don't forget the small, daily miracles in your life. Yes, the Hebrews had a difficult time in the wilderness, but look at how God was caring for them. He didn't have to keep their clothes from deteriorating. He didn't have to keep their feet from swelling. That was a bonus. That was God's generous love.
Verse 11 jumped out at me, and I hope I can explain why. Keeping God's commandments bring a complex blessing. Sure, they keep God's wrath away from us. That's like level one. But what it says here is that you keep His commandments, you will remember who it is that has provided your livelihood. If you are immersed in God's Word, and following His plan for your life, it is nearly impossible to forget His role in all of it. And that would, of course, lead to profound gratefulness, and ultimately a closer relationship with God. That's a whole new level.
Of course, since Christ's resurrection, we live under grace, and are not subject to the letter of the law. But this doesn't mean that God's statutes are lost with the dinosaurs. If we don't follow his guidelines for our lives, it would be so easy to forget what He has done for us.
Verse 18 says a lot. "But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you the power to make wealth ..."
Our talents, abilities, aptitudes, personalities, histories, our locations in the timeline, and our locations geographically, are all part of God's design. If we are using any of these gifts in our road to success, it is Him we have to thank for it.
Next time: Deuteronomy 9-10
God truly did have a marvelous design. We truly are wonderfully made and have such different gifts to share. Thanks for the great insight.
Posted by: Jessie | February 02, 2009 at 03:23 PM