Deuteronomy 8:7 – 10 “For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks and fountains and springs that flow through the valleys and hills; a land of wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you will eat food without scarcity, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are iron and whose hills can be mined for copper. When you eat and are satisfied, you are to bless the LORD your God for the good land He has given you.”
God’s description of the Promised Land is beyond belief!! The land is very fertile and well – watered. God promises the Israelites that they will “eat food without scarcity” and “will lack nothing.” This land contains rich mineral resources, allowing them to make tools and implements and weapons if necessary. Sounds like a great bargain, right?
BUT… the Israelites have one duty to the Lord: “When you eat and are satisfied, you are to bless the LORD your God for the good land He has given you.” Seems so simple, doesn’t it? And eventually, there were times when the Israelites did obey this command. Psalm 129:8 even speaks about those passing by as crops are being harvested blessing the crops, “The blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the Name of the Lord!”
For much of the time that the Israelites occupied the Promised Land, they behaved as though somehow they had earned it and God was obligated to bless them. The Book of Judges gives us a shocking picture of just how badly the Israelites failed in keeping their half of the bargain. It’s tempting to feel morally superior and to assume that we would never be that ungrateful, but is that really true?
APPLICATION: Two little old ladies were in a retirement home where they served meals. One lady began her complaints by describing how bad the food was – it was tasteless, it was bland, there wasn’t enough variety, etc., etc. And then her friend chimed in, “Yes! And the portions are TOO SMALL!”
The month of November is the month of Thanksgiving in America; however, you would never know it by going through the stores. The “Seasonal Items” displays are packed with Christmas items; meanwhile, Thanksgiving is still several weeks away. The unstated message is that gratitude doesn’t make money.
Throughout those forty years in the wilderness, the Israelites had lots of complaints; in fact, they had so many that early on, Moses had to organize judges for groups of thousands, hundreds, and tens of people. And that was just for the small stuff! Then there were the terrible times when Moses and Aaron found themselves threatened with stoning if they failed to provide water or meat or bread. At no point in the Torah is there a recording of a time when the Israelites themselves actually organized a service to praise and bless and thank God for all His provision.
In many small churches, pastors and their families can find themselves struggling financially. While the congregation might help with food items, particularly in rural areas, the pastor’s wife may find herself wearing garments that are several years out of date. Before the advent of casual dressing for church members, some ladies in the church would judge the pastor’s wife on the quality and style of her clothes. One friend who had served small churches with her pastor husband for decades told me that when she complained to the Lord, He reminded her of Deuteronomy 8:4, “Your clothing did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.” My friend acknowledged that this indeed was true and thanked the Lord for doing so. But my friend also reminded the Lord that the gossips in the church were only moved to talk and not to increase her husband’s salary!
There is a meme circulating on social media in which a man begins complaining to God about all the small mishaps he has suffered that day – he overslept, his car refused to start promptly, he was late to work, the sandwich he bought for his lunch was not made properly, and when he got home, his electric foot bath refused to work. Then God pulls back the curtain and allows the man to see that the delays kept him from a fatal accident and that his lunch was made by someone healthy while the person who usually made his lunch was sick and could have given him a serious infection. That electric foot bath had a fault that would have shorted out the entire house, plunging it into darkness. The point of this story is simple: we have no idea how completely God has protected us and is protecting us. We need to be thankful for the “glitches” as well as for the obvious blessings.
Gratitude and joy are closely related. Grateful people are joyful people. Why not begin a new habit? Just before you fall asleep, thank God for at least one blessing He has given you for that day. You may be shocked at how many other blessings you can name once you get started.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for the “stops” as well as for the “starts.” Thank You that You know our needs far better than we do and that You are always watching us. Help us to be grateful each day and not merely to designate one day in the year. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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