Through Deuteronomyনমুনা

What Is My Intention? 

Fill in the blank. ‘I am who I am today because ___________?’. 

Some answers would be our genealogy, our family, our achievements, our personality, so on and so forth. Being brought up in a Christian atmosphere, I was made to answer this question, acknowledging it is because of Jesus. Any other answer was considered prideful, taking God’s glory and ultimately a punishable sin. 

Though I still agree with the truth of this statement, there is a world of difference when I say it to be politically right and when I genuinely mean it. When I say it to be politically correct, there is a part hidden in my heart which believes that I too deserve the glory or pride which says ‘Come on! I did it!’.

From today’s passage, we see the jealous nature of God. Here God tells the Israelites that it was not because of their righteousness but the wickedness of Canaanites that God was giving them the land into the Israelites hands. God here implies that if I become wicked, I too may lose the blessing of God. 

Moses takes time asking the Israelites to REMEMBER how the Lord led the Israelites the forty years in the wilderness. The critical lessons God wanted them to remember was how He humbled and tested them to see what was in their hearts? He humbled them by making them hungry and feeding them with Manna to teach them that man shall not live by bread alone. How God took care of them by not letting their clothes wear out, or their feet swell during the forty years. He tells them how God disciplines them as a father teaches his son. Moses instructs them to observe the commands and walk in obedience, acknowledging God as their provider of wealth and keeper of covenants.

So, what is the attitude God wants us to have? God wants us to genuinely love him, which would make us do what He wants and receive the blessings God gives us because of our obedience to His word. Our obedience is because of our love to Him and not because of the blessings He will bestow on us. 

Thought for the day: Why do I love God? 

God wants us to love Him as a conscious choice and not BECAUSE of the consequences we fear.

Additional reading: Deuteronomy 7-9