“You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.”
Deuteronomy 8:2-3
If you’re like me, then you can get impatient when things don’t go the way you want them to go. If it’s not the shower curtain closing just right or the radio not picking up the right song, it’s something else. We all can be persnickety when it comes to having to wait. We simply don’t like it. Not to mention the fact that we’re living in an Amazon Prime culture where instant gratification is instantly satisfied in an instant. You don’t want to wait 5 days for a package? Ok. We’ll make it there in 2 days. 2-day delivery too long? No problem, we’ve got 1 day delivery now. Pretty amazing what some technologies can do.
However, if we’re not careful, we’ll let that seep into our spiritual life as well. We want to “see” change in others. We want to “watch” growth or maturation occur now in those with whom we have to do. In other words, in those close relationships or in relationships where we spend a lot of time with someone or people (bosses, co-workers, spouse, children, pastor, friends, etc.), we’re usually wanting to see the change in them we think they need–now. This is often motivated by the fact that their lack of change or even a reversal in the so-called right direction creates discomfort and consternation for us. We love our comfort. Who doesn’t?
But God loves our hearts. He’s not so much concerned with how comfortable we are as He is concerned with the condition of our inner passions, our drives, our groanings, and our longings. He wants to see our hearts–turned toward Him.
It’s no different than it has always been. God has always been interested in the heart, and in our passage above that’s exactly what He was honing with the Israelites of old. As their preparation was about to lead to experience in their promised land, God wanted them to know that–despite the fact that the previous generation had sinned and caused them to wander in the wilderness–God was still with them (intentionally). Never once did He not use those 40 years; in fact, all the while He was humbling His people to see their hearts. He let them be hungry, in order to teach them that they do not live on bread alone. In other words, God is their supply. He brings to their plates the fill that more than satisfies. All He wants is obedience, wrought out of a heart for Him. And so, a heart toward Him obeys and is thus amply supplied.
But, the Israelite’s hearts were not good. It was tested and was found wanting. They did not pass, they were exiled, but they were not left without hope. No, no, there is Christ. And this is yet another reason Why Christ Had To Die.
How Does This Apply To Us Today?
- Despite our wandering God still leads.
- Are you in a place where you feel like God is not there? Are you doubting the very existence of God? Are you wondering why God would allow certain things to come into your life? Are ready to throw in the towel of faithfulness to God, His Word, and His people? Don’t. Please don’t. God is there. He is real. And He’s using these things to see your heart. Will you trust Him? Will you lean in even though it seems like all things are too far gone? It doesn’t matter if sin has led you here. He dealt with that and defeated sin and its curse on the cross. It doesn’t matter if other’s sins have led you here. He dealt with that and defeated sin and its curse on the cross. It doesn’t matter if life’s circumstances have dealt a cruel hand. He dealt with that and defeated sin and its curse on the cross. God is still leading…believe.
- Our heart is the focus of our Lord.
- God didn’t choose a king through which He would bring the Messiah based upon how he looked, how he spoke, or how he led. No, no, God chose a king whose heart was turned toward Him. It’s the same today as it was then. While the king through which Messiah came is already chosen, God still chooses to use vessels of blessing who have a heart toward Him. He uses our circumstances, our challenges, and our difficulties to bring us to a place of heart-refinement. It may hurt, but it’s working nevertheless. May your heart for God continue to grow through the pain, and turn closer and closer to Him.
- God’s supply is sufficient.
- God knows that humanity is creative and capable. He made us this way–image bearers. Look at the tower of Babel. Look at civilizations throughout history. Mankind is an incredible portrait of God’s handiwork. However, humanity has its limitations. We can’t create something out of nothing. As much as we think we will, we simply can’t. Why do we try to then build and mitigate, and then build and mitigate until we’re blue in the face and bloody in the fingers? Well, we think we can amply supply. Until disaster strikes. Until tragedies occur. Until we’re not able to. But then it’s often too late. So, instead why don’t we certainly plan, prepare, and execute, but do so with heart-faith? Believing that God is our supply, and what He wants is our heart turned toward Him that leads to a life of obedience…showing our love of Him! His supply is sufficient, no matter what.
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments…”
John 14:15
— September 7, 2018