May the mumbling commence!
When are we at our most vulnerable? That is an interesting question – with an interesting answer. Read from Deuteronomy chapter eight:
"So obey the commands of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with springs that gush forth in the valleys and hills. It is a land of wheat and barley, of grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, olives, and honey. It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills. When you have eaten your fill, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
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 laws. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, that is the time to be careful. Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! 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. He did it so you would never think that it was your own strength and energy that made you wealthy. Always remember that it is the Lord your God who gives you power to become rich, and he does it to fulfill the covenant he made with your ancestors. (Verses 6-18)
Hard times can be difficult, to be sure. But hard times often draw us closer to the Lord. We are not most vulnerable in times of distress, though it may seem to be the case.
We are most vulnerable when we have plenty… when we have success, because we may easily become deluded that we are the source of our own success and plenty. We must be extremely careful when we enjoy success and plenty.
What is the remedy for this peril of success? Remember. Remember where you have come from. Remember what God has done for you. Remember who you belong to – the Lord God.
God is the source of all strength and energy and wealth. So praise the Lord and give thanks! Don’t forget. Be careful when times are good. Otherwise, we may get caught up in our own good fortune and miss the incomparable Kingdom of God. Read the parable that Jesus told about the Great Feast, as recorded in Luke chapter fourteen:
Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, "What a privilege it would be to have a share in the Kingdom of God!"
Jesus replied with this illustration: "A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When all was ready, he sent his servant around to notify the guests that it was time for them to come. But they all began making excuses. One said he had just bought a field and wanted to inspect it, so he asked to be excused. Another said he had just bought five pair of oxen and wanted to try them out. Another had just been married, so he said he couldn't come.
The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was angry and said, 'Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the city and invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.' After the servant had done this, he reported, 'There is still room for more.' So his master said, 'Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. For none of those I invited first will get even the smallest taste of what I had prepared for them.'" (Verses 15-24)
Don’t get caught up in your property values… or the worth of your vehicles… or the joy of your marriage. If you do, you may miss the call to the greatest feast of your life – entrance into the Kingdom of God.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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