Revcort's Ramblings

Scripture Focus

“And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” — Deuteronomy 6:10–12 (ESV)

Devotional Thought

Earlier in Deuteronomy 6, Moses gives Israel the command Jesus would later identify as the greatest commandment: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Jesus would add that the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves. We often emphasize the importance of loving our neighbor—and rightly so—but it is possible to become so focused on the second commandment that we neglect the first. Everything begins with loving God.

Moses then warns Israel about one of the greatest threats to that love, and surprisingly, it isn’t suffering. It is blessing. Israel was about to enter a land filled with cities they had not built, houses they had not filled, cisterns they had not dug, and vineyards they had not planted. They were going to eat until they were full. And Moses essentially tells them, That is when you need to be careful. “Take care lest you forget the LORD.”

When life is difficult, we are often quick to cry out to God. Trouble drives us to prayer. Need reminds us of our dependence upon Him. But when the prayer has been answered, the crisis has passed, the bills are paid, the pantry is full, and life is comfortable, something strange can happen. We begin taking God’s blessings for granted. We pray less urgently, worship less gratefully, and slowly begin living as though we can handle life on our own.

But we have never lived for a single moment independently of God. Our lives are completely in His hands and continually sustained by His power. Every breath, every heartbeat, every meal, every friendship, and every good thing we experience exists because of His sustaining grace. We may imagine that we no longer need God’s help because everything is going well, when the truth is that we are just as dependent upon Him in abundance as we are in adversity.

Even unbelievers live every moment surrounded by evidences of God’s goodness. Scripture teaches that God gives rain and fruitful seasons even to those who do not acknowledge Him, and His restraining grace keeps fallen humanity from becoming as evil as our sinful hearts otherwise could become. People sometimes joke that they would rather be in hell with the sinners because they imagine them being more fun than the saints. Billy Joel famously expressed that sentiment in “Only the Good Die Young.” But hell will not be a party where sinners enjoy themselves without God. It is judgment and separation from the goodness of God they spent their lives taking for granted. Much of what makes life enjoyable now is evidence of God’s goodness, whether people recognize its source or not.

And believers are not immune from this kind of forgetfulness. We can pray desperately for God to provide and then barely thank Him when He does. We can ask Him to carry us through a difficult season and then gradually stop seeking Him when the season changes. We can enjoy His gifts so much that we begin forgetting the Giver. Israel was about to discover that spiritual danger does not disappear when the wilderness ends. Sometimes prosperity tests our hearts in ways hardship never could.

The Gospel gives us an even greater reason to remember. Like Israel, we have been delivered from slavery—not from Egypt, but from slavery to sin. We did not rescue ourselves. Christ did for us what we could never do for ourselves. Through His death and resurrection, He has given us forgiveness, reconciliation with God, eternal life, and an inheritance we could never earn. Every spiritual blessing we possess has been given to us by grace.

So when God blesses you, enjoy His blessings. Give thanks for the house, the food, the family, the friendships, the answered prayers, and the peaceful seasons. But never allow the gifts to make you forget the Giver. The proper response to God’s goodness is not independence from Him but deeper love for Him.

When you have eaten and are full, remember the Lord.

Reflection Questions

1. Am I more likely to seek God when life is difficult than when things are going well?
2. What blessings in my life have I begun to take for granted?
3. Has God’s provision caused me to become more thankful and dependent upon Him, or more comfortable and self-sufficient?
4. What can I do today to intentionally remember and thank God for His goodness and grace?

Closing Prayer

Father, forgive me for the times I have enjoyed Your gifts while forgetting the One who gave them. Thank You for every good thing You have placed in my life, and especially for the salvation You have given me through Jesus Christ. Remind me that I am completely dependent upon You whether I am walking through difficulty or enjoying abundance. Keep my heart from becoming comfortable, proud, or self-sufficient. May every blessing You give me cause me to love You more, worship You more deeply, and remember Your goodness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.