Don’t Forget the Lord Your God

Perhaps we’re most accustomed to thinking that we’re in danger of forgetting God during times of barrenness instead of times of blessing. But the Bible teaches that we’re just as prone to wander from worshiping God when things are going well for us as we are when things aren’t. In Deuteronomy 8 we learn that the wilderness was filled with barrenness, but Canaan would be filled with blessing. The wilderness was a great and terrifying place, but Canaan was a good land. The wilderness was dry and flat, but Canaan was filled with sources of water, valleys and hills. The Lord had to provide food from heaven for His people in the wilderness, but Canaan was filled with luscious fruits and bountiful grains. However, Canaan would prove to be just as tempting a place for Israel to forsake the Lord as the wilderness was.

               In the midst of the blessings, God’s people were in danger of forgetting the Giver. With satisfied stomachs, luxurious houses, healthy livestock, and abounding treasure, their hearts would be proud. They would believe they had earned the blessings instead of glorifying the One who had given it to them. They would be prone to forget that the Lord had delivered them from Egypt and brought them through the wilderness. They would boast in their accomplishments, instead of boasting in the Lord their God. Tragically, they would worship and serve other gods, and would perish for their disobedience.

               Sadly, because God’s people indulged in idolatry and immorality they experienced the curse of exile. Even so, on every page of the Old Testament the gospel of grace is progressively revealed until Jesus Christ comes as the the second Adam, the true Israel, the final king, the suffering servant and the Savior of the world. Jesus didn’t come to save perfect people, but penitent ones. He obeyed God’s law perfectly on our behalf, so that we now stand before the Father robed in His righteousness. He died a cursed death to satisfy God’s justice, so that we can live for all eternity with Him.

               He has also given us His Spirit to empower us to live a life of godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). Therefore, we must courageously fight against our enemies—the world, the flesh, and the devil. On this side of glory we will still sin. But there are also times, by God’s grace, that we will walk humbly before the Lord. We will do the right thing for the right reason. We will yield to the Spirit instead of succumbing to the flesh.

               Some of us are in the great and terrifying wilderness today. Cancer threatens our life. Unemployment was unexpected. Broken relationships have broken our heart. Our marriage is a mess. We are weary in parenting. Widowhood wasn’t what we wanted. We can’t seem to break an addiction. Or divorce wasn’t supposed to be part of our story.   

               Others of us are in the land of blessing today. We’re engaged to a godly person. We’re at the height of our career. We’re in pristine health. We’re thriving in ministry. We’ve just moved into our dream home. Our marriage is the best it’s ever been. And our church family is filled with unity and joy.

               More likely, we have one foot in the wilderness and one foot in Canaan. But Deuteronomy 8 makes it clear that the temptation is the same in both places—unbelief and pride. In the desert we are tempted to believe that God doesn’t care, isn’t present with us, and doesn’t love us. We’re tempted to cry out, “Don’t look at me! I’m ashamed! How could you do this to me? I want to go back to how life was before.” In the land of plenty we’re tempted to believe that we’ve earned all that we have. In the land of blessing the cry is, “Look at me! Look what I have done! I don’t need God; I can live life on my own.”

               Dear believer, God’s hand of grace is upon us, whether we’re in the land of blessing or barrenness. Through our circumstances He reveals to us the true nature of our hearts. As we come to see our sin, may we fall to our knees in repentance. Let us confess our pride, failures, accusations, and anger. Then let us rest in His grace, as we seek to obey Him with a heart of thanksgiving for His gracious work of salvation and sanctification.   

Sarah Ivill (ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary) is a Reformed author, wife, homeschooling mom, Bible study teacher, and conference speaker who lives in Matthews, North Carolina, and is a member of Christ Covenant Church (PCA). To learn more, please visit www.sarahivill.com.