Corona Devo 433

What are we most proud of today?  

The desk, office, title, and nameplate that we've earned?

Our kid as they hit the ball, score the goal, swing the club, score highest in their class or land the lead in the play?

Our fine home and its furnishings?

Our 401(k), retirement nest egg, bank account, or the wad-of-bills filling our pocket?

Our toy collection, car collection, or jewelry collection?

Beware!

We strive for these "trophies" and working-hard in life is a good and Biblical teaching, but God reminds us today that our efforts are not the main thing that contribute to all that we have.  

God is the source of all that we have.

Our fleshly pride will argue with this, and our sense-of-entitlement will spar with this, but God's Word and Biblical truth will persist in teaching us this Truth.  God is the source.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor, God says, but we must not forget where our fruits have ultimately come from: Him.    

When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

(11) “But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. (12) For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, (13) and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! (14) Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. (15) Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! (16) He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. (17) He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ (18) Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.  ~Deuteronomy 8:10-18

When we are sitting highest-on-our-horse, or cushioned with the best-luxuries-surrounding-us: this is the easiest time to pat ourselves on the back for all of it.  God warns us not to. (When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. ~Deuteronomy 8:10).  

Notice that God does not say that it is wrong/indulgent/improper to eat our fill, or to enjoy the bounty of hard-work, but He cautions us to always remember that He is the Source of our fill and our bounty.  We have God's permission to enjoy life, but be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good...he has given you (Deuteronomy 8:10).  He is the reason we are able to enjoy.

It's almost laughable that the materialistic desires/achievements that God addresses with the Israelites 2,000 years ago are still the same things we yearn to achieve and acquire in our lives today: To be full and prosperous, to build fine homes to live in, to grow our "flocks and herds" to become very large, and (of course) that our silver and gold would multiply along with everything else (Deuteronomy 8:12-13).   

We want what they wanted.  And for so many of us, we have obtained these things in our lives, by the grace of God.  

But how are we handling it?  And who are we acknowledging for these things?  

Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees...  ~Deuteronomy 8:11.

...never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’   ~Deuteronomy 8:17

We've all had that person on our team, in our workplace, even in our family, who think they are "God's gift" to the world.  Their achievements are known because they are always spouting about them, and they take full credit.

Forgive me, Lord when I am that person.  In those moments when I fall to the sin of pride and self-promotion, open my eyes to my arrogance and error, and open my heart to the Truth that any success in my life is derived from my connection to You.  Amen.

Today, before we accept the pat-on-the-back, and before we lean back and pat-our-tummy..., and before we congratulate ourselves on being "self-made" and "self-taught", Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful (Deuteronomy 8:18). 

Our success comes from You, Lord.  

What are we most proud of today?  Let our pride be in our reliance on the Source. 

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com 

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