As the rain and snow

“You,.. whom I have chosen..;
you whom I took from the ends of the earth,
    and called from its farthest corners,
saying to you, ‘You are my servant,
    I have chosen you and not cast you off’;
fear not, for I am with you;
    be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

“Behold, all who are incensed against you
    shall be put to shame and confounded;
those who strive against you…
    shall perish…
Those who war against you
    shall be as nothing at all.
For I, the Lord your God,
    hold your right hand;
I say to you, ‘Fear not,
    I am the one who helps you.’

“Fear not!
I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord…
And you shall rejoice in the Lord;
    in the Holy One you shall glory.

“When the poor and needy seek water,
    and there is none,
    and their tongue is parched with thirst,
I the Lord will answer them;
    I will not forsake them.
I will open rivers on the bare heights,
    and fountains in the midst of the valleys.
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
    and the dry land springs of water…
that they may see and know,
    may consider and understand together,
that the hand of the Lord has done this,
    the Holy One of Israel has created it.”

“Thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
    he who formed you, O Israel:
‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,..
    your Savior.
Fear not, for I am with you.'” Isaiah 41:8-14,16b-18,20; 43:1-3a,5a

The prophet was aware of all that Israel was up against, and by the Spirit’s inspiration, turned them to trust in the Lord who was with them, and greater than any opposition. Fear not! he repeated again and again to steady their qualms and murmurings with assurance in the Lord their God. In Him and His magnificent presence they could trust. (Matthew 28:10; Luke 12:32)

Many are our opportunities to fear: health concerns, financial instability, ruthless governments, violence, wildfires, crime, poor choices of loved ones. The enemy of our souls taunts and threatens in a myriad of ways to disturb our souls and undermine and unsettle our peace. The Lord does not promise a life free of floods and fires, but He does promise He abides in the midst. What circumstances or areas of concern disrupt us most?

Do we profess to believe in the Lord, and to trust His word? If so, does our behavior reflect that we actually do? Are moments and hours spent in mental agitation, or peace? In fretting over what-ifs and worst-case scenarios, or confidence in God’s sovereign capability and all-encompassing rule? What do our demeanor, attitude, and words evidence about our security in Christ and His care? A need to control betrays a prideful heart, but peace a divine assurance.

Father, turn me from self-focus and fretting to strong trust in You.

“I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord forever;
    with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
I said, ‘Steadfast love will be built up forever;
    in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.’
You have said, ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one..:
“I will establish your offspring forever,
    and build your throne for all generations.”’

Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
    your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
    Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
    and awesome above all who are around him?
O Lord God of hosts,
    who is mighty as you are, O Lord,
    with your faithfulness all around you?
You rule the raging of the sea;
    when its waves rise, you still them…
You… scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;
    the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
The north and the south, you have created them…
You have a mighty arm;
    strong is your hand, high your right hand…

“But now you have cast off and rejected… your anointed…
He has become the scorn of his neighbors.
You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
    you have made his enemies rejoice.
You have turned back the edge of his sword,
    and not made him stand in battle.
You have made his splendor to cease…
    you have covered him with shame…

Blessed be the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.” Psalm 89:1-13, 38,41-45,52

The psalmist, a contemporary of King David, seems to share his passion for music as well as knowing and exalting God. His great resolve: he would sing of the Lord and make Him known, in every circumstance. Why? Because He was incomparable, awesome in rule and might. Ethan the Ezrahite may have been renowned for his wisdom, but God founded and ordered and sustained all things in heaven and earth, and was worthy to be praised and known. Even as desperate times came, God’s people were rejected, and doubts arose, he stood on God’s promises and blessed the Lord. (1 Kings 4:30-31)

We meet circumstances in life that make us want to complain, withdraw, or fight back. Some of God’s storms seem senseless, His dismissals painful. To develop a psalmist’s mindset is to look beyond the roiling here and now to His perfect everlasting.

Would we remember God is mightier than our troubles, and His justice- while difficult now- will resolve in the end? How can the contemplation of His work and majesty in nature lift our hearts today? For what will we choose to praise Him?

“O worship the King all-glorious above,
O gratefully sing his power and his love:
our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days,
pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.

O tell of his might and sing of his grace,
whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
and dark is his path on the wings of the storm.

Your bountiful care, what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.” ~ Robert Grant (1833)

Lord, may I count on and sing of Your might forever.

“But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, ‘In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.’ It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 17-25

Jude had experienced division from the time his half-brother Jesus began His public ministry. And post-resurrection and ascension, he became acutely aware of the insidiousness of the enemy to disrupt the church set aflame by the Holy Spirit. Scoffers who stained their testimony with false teaching and sensuality did all they could to stem the growth. Only God was able to give clarity, and the will and courage to stay the course.

Many movements, ideologies, and evil spiritual powers work to divide people. Nations, communities, families are targets for intended factions, with little, if any, relief. The Word stands as steady plumb for truth and reason, and source of grace to meet the challenges. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:10-12)

Where are we caught in the crosshairs of spiritual division? What part do we take: stirring up doubt or argument, or addressing falsehoods with truth, feistiness with calm, angst with peace? How can we be distinct and stem the proliferation of turmoil with Christlikeness? Rather than tossing more words, might we listen and earnestly pray?

“A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he, amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
does seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God’s own choosing.
You ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth his name,
from age to age the same;
and he must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

That Word above all earthly powers
no thanks to them abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours
through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever!” ~ Martin Luther (1529)

Lord, help me meet division with grace and truth.

“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it.

“John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

“Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood  and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.  Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

“’I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’

“I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” Revelation 1:1-9

The Lord inspired John the exile’s visions and message, and his opening words set the scene and atmosphere for his unique and sometimes alarming communication. It’s all about the supreme, eternal Jesus Christ, and is intended for revelation and blessing. He loves His churches and has freed them from sin and judgment for a marvelous end. The book will resolve in great and glorious hope in God’s everlasting dominion. John himself was simply one of His children, and side-by-side with his fellow believers, turns their faces upward and ahead in confidence.

We both receive and have to transmit unique and difficult messages throughout our days. It is important for both the accepting and the conveying that messages are established in truth and intended for good. To understand the reasons behind and the goal at end are key to clear, welcome communication.

When have I been in receipt of difficult, convicting, or enlightening news? How clear was the message-bearer’s intended purpose? What difference did the delivery make in my reception of those messages? What could have made them more palatable?

When I am prompted by the Spirit to speak specifically to someone, how carefully do I think through my delivery? How readily do I allow Him to purify my motives and set my heart’s direction? Do the words I speak convey a high view of God? If not, how can I exalt Him in my attitude, demeanor, and tone of voice, as well as in what I actually communicate about the King? Do my messages portray Jesus as the Source and end of truth, hope, love, and everything? (Revelation 1:12-18)

“Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise.” ~ Frances Ridley Havergal (1874)

Lord, may every message You prompt me to speak convey hope and exalt You.

“On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
    the Lord loves the gates of Zion
    more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
Glorious things of you are spoken,
    O city of God. 

“Of Zion it shall be said,
    ‘This one and that one were born in her’;
    for the Most High himself will establish her.
The Lord records as he registers the peoples,
    ‘This one was born there.’ 

“Singers and dancers alike say,
    ‘All my springs are in you.'” Psalm 87:1-3,5-7

“It shall come to pass in the latter days
    that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
    and shall be lifted up above the hills;
and all the nations shall flow to it,
    and many peoples shall come, and say:
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,..
that he may teach us his ways
    and we may walk in his paths.'” Isaiah 2:2-3

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14

The psalmist is enthralled with God’s holy mount, and sings of its glorious things. Founded and loved by the Lord, Zion was established as the spiritual birthplace of her children, marking their identity as His. There springs of living water issue forth, evoking singing and dancing with joy.

We are all dwellers in time and space, living in allotted places here on earth, intended to make our mark. Adopted as Christ’s own, we have a part, while awaiting our heavenly home, in identifying with God’s light and joy in our communities, establishing them as redolent with His springs of life and glorious things. (Acts 17:26)

How are we bringing and planting Zion in our cities? Whether at work, service, or habitation, what marks our place as a holy mount, standing distinct for the Lord? How are we offering His springs of hope, teaching His word, living out His light and love among fellow pilgrims? Firmly established on the mount that is Christ and regularly partaking of His living water equips us to shine as a city on a hill. (John 7:38)

“Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God.
He whose Word cannot be broken
formed thee for His own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

See, the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint while such a river 
ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord, the Giver,
never fails from age to age.

‘Round each habitation hov’ring,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a cov’ring,
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from their banner
light by night and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna
which He gives them on their way.

Savior, since of Zion’s city
I through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in Thy name.
Fading is the worldling’s pleasures,
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasures
none but Zion’s children know.” ~John Newton (1779)

Lord, establish me so I may shine on Your holy hill.

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day.  Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.  He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall fear the Lord your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen.” Deuteronomy 10:12-21

Moses, in recounting Israel’s history since receiving God’s commandments, pinpoints their common and insidious condition: a stubborn hard heart. The root of their varied sins, this was the one to be dealt with ruthlessly. In order to meet God’s requirements to fear, obey, love, and serve Him, they must circumcise their hearts and cut away any vestige of stubbornness. Self-will must go, the Lord must be all in all.

And oh, how stubborn we can be. The flesh is all about self: my time, my wants, my preferences, my plans, my feelings. ‘Dare you not get in my way or interrupt my agenda, Lord. Dare you not offend my sensitivities, upend my schedule, quash my passions. After all, You made me this way, so let me be.’

The Lord bids us see another angle, and graciously provides the wherewithal to embrace it. ‘I made you, I fashioned you in My likeness to know fulfillment of personality and purpose in Me. When you willingly fear, obey, love, and serve Me, you will flourish. You will enjoy rich spiritual communion, My guidance, enabling, and sufficiency, abundant fruitfulness by way of the exchanged life. My will and ways for yours.’ (Deuteronomy 11:1-25)

How are we doing fulfilling God’s requirements? Where are we most resistant to His commands- in our spirits? Relationships? Duties? What callouses, what ingrained habits, need cutting away? When willingness replaces stubbornness, we will know joy, glad freedom, and the fulness of relationship with Christ.

“Have thine own way, Lord! 
Have thine own way! 
Thou art the potter, 
I am the clay. 
Mold me and make me 
after thy will, 
while I am waiting, 
yielded and still. 

Have thine own way, Lord! 
Have thine own way! 
Search me and try me, 
Savior today! 
Wash me just now, Lord, 
wash me just now, 
as in thy presence 
humbly I bow. 

Have thine own way, Lord! 
Have thine own way! 
Hold o’er my being 
absolute sway. 
Fill with thy Spirit 
till all shall see 
Christ only, always, 
living in me!” ~Adelaide Pollard (1906)

Lord, please dissolve any stubbornness in my heart, circumcise it to be whole and holy for you.

 “I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying, ‘O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours? Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country…’ But the Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the Lord said to me, ‘Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again. Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward, and look at it with your eyes, for you shall not go over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he shall go over at the head of this people.’” Deuteronomy 3:23-28

In a poignant account, Moses tells how the Lord firmly and graciously set his pleading to stop. He’d led faithfully for 40 years, but the dishonorable deed was done and the decision made, and he would not enter the promised land. This fact would not change, but he could. His unrequited longing would not be entertained. He must set it aside, accept God’s decision, and invest his passion and even this lesson into preparing Joshua to enter and take the land. (Numbers 20:10-12; Deuteronomy 1:37-38; 4:21-24,39-40)

Occasionally we bump up against situations that we deeply regret or sorely want to change. If only we could take back decisions made, actions taken, words spoken- or left unsaid. What if we could change the consequences or write a different ending? While the Lord hears and understands our remorse and longing, He tells us there are some things that will not change, but we can be changed through them.

When angst arises over things or people or circumstances we want to alter, how could frustration or anger or regret be eliminated if we focused on the One who never changes, whose purposes and ways are good in every season? How could our outlook be brighter if we adjusted our attitude to one of acceptance and gratitude? Instead of wrestling with what we cannot have, would we rest in the One who brings glorious resolution? (Malachi 3:6; Romans 8:28; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17b)

“Be still, my soul! the Lord is on your side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In ev’ry change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul! your best, your heav’nly friend
Thru’ thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul! your God does undertake
To guide the future as he has the past;
Your hope, your confidence, let nothing shake;
all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul! the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while he lived below.

Be still, my soul! the hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still my soul! when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.” ~ Kathrina Von Schlegel (1752)

Lord, teach me to bow and rejoice in gratitude for Your unchanging faithfulness and goodness in all situations.

“Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel,
    whose deeds are in the dark,
    and who say, ‘Who sees us? Who knows us?’
You turn things upside down!
Shall the potter be regarded as the clay,
that the thing made should say of its maker,
    ‘He did not make me’;
or the thing formed say of him who formed it,
    ‘He has no understanding’?

Is it not yet a very little while
    until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field,
    and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?
In that day the deaf shall hear
    the words of a book,
and out of their gloom and darkness
    the eyes of the blind shall see.
The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,
    and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.
For the ruthless shall come to nothing
    and the scoffer cease,
    and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off,
who by a word make a man out to be an offender,
    and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate,
    and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right.” Isaiah 29:15-21

“Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:7-10

The Lord expresses His omniscience in varied ways, uncovering the supposed secrets of the human heart. Throughout the Scriptures, God wants His people to know that man can try to control, but He is the Ruler. Man can plot to deceive, but He discerns motives. Man can attempt to conceal, but He knows all that is hidden and every hiding place. The beautiful thing about God is that He uncovers ugliness with grace and meets darkness with light, flooding His mercy and love into every hidden crevice. (Proverbs 21:30; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 1:6-9)

For many, there are things to hide, and reasons to hide. True feelings, jaded viewpoints, immoral thoughts. Past trauma, regrets, shameful deeds and their consequences. Character weaknesses, temper, bitterness. We can insinuate, suggest, and pretend, but as much as we try, we cannot conceal any of these from the Lord.

The longer we try to hide from Him, the more deeply rooted the lies to ourselves, Him, and others. Concealing in one area spreads the poison of untruth, fear, and false confidence until hearts are calloused and vision is clouded and we do not even know who we are.

Enter the Lord, all-knowing and -loving, to meet fears with promise and insecurities with cleansing and hope. He upends our folly and gives true wisdom, our inner turmoil and stubbornness with fresh freedom and joy. Where do we most need His uncovering? Of what is He convicting that I must confess? With whom and in what situations do I put up barriers to conceal my thoughts or actions? Do we have the courage to come clean, knowing His freedom awaits? The Lord sees, the Lord knows, and the Lord loves His own.

Father, keep me honest and pure before You always.

“Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
    for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am godly;
    save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
Be gracious to me, O Lord,
    for to you do I cry all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
    for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
    abounding in steadfast love...
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
    listen to my plea for grace.
In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
    for you answer me.

There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
    nor are there any works like yours.
All the nations you have made shall come
    and worship before you, O Lord,
    and shall glorify your name.
For you are great and do wondrous things;
    you alone are God.
Teach me your way, O Lord,
    that I may walk in your truth;
    unite my heart to fear your name.
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
    and I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your steadfast love toward me;
    you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol…
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Psalm 86:1-13,15

When David took up his harp or lyre, songs of his Lord issued forth with emotion and wonder. For this needy, godly servant of the Lord, every strum, every idea set to note echoed God’s works remembered: His attributes, His creative and saving acts among men and nations, His grace and glory. Every word was one of dependence, declaration, or exaltation. His godly captivation with his Maker and the Doer of all things good spilled forth in psalms full of thanksgiving and praise.

We set the rhythms of our lives. Certainly we have outward forces and responsibilities influencing the content and pace of our days, but soul focus is ours to determine and keep. When mindset and senses are open to considering the Lord no matter where we are or what we are doing, a multitude of His works will fill our minds and invigorate our spirits. We are poor and weak, He is able and sufficient. We err, He is merciful. We are spent, He gladdens the heart. We’re planning or negotiating, He is orderly and purposeful. In every opportunity to love, every breath-taking view, every close call, warm embrace, or inspiration ignited, we will sense the Spirit’s work and want to praise Him.

Which of God’s attributes do we notice around us? How united are our affections and attention to fear and praise Him? How can we surrender our work to His greater works, and so imprint efforts with His steadfastness, grace, and faithfulness? How can we point others to say, “There’s no work like God’s”?

“Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.” ~Walter Smith (1867)

Lord, may my works be like Yours, reflecting Your greatness and glory.

“You are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath.., that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from… slavery, from the Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

“Know therefore today that he who goes over before you as a consuming fire is the Lord your God. He will destroy them and subdue them before you. So you shall drive them out and make them perish quickly, as the Lord has promised.

“Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations.., and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers…

“Know, therefore,.. you are a stubborn people. Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness… You have been rebellious against the Lord.” Deuteronomy 7:6-8; 9:3-7

Moses repeatedly reminds the Israelites whose they are. He knows well how man can get in the way, and keeps turning them to the Lord their God who chose them as His treasured possession, set His love on them, delivered and redeemed them to be His people, possess His gifts, and keep and carry His word to the world. Remember Him. Their taking of the promised land would be all God’s doing, not theirs. They were never to take credit nor touch His glory, only to revolve their lives around Him and His plans. (Numbers 20:10-12)

Oh, how we like to swagger! We think highly of ourselves, and relish taking credit for good things that happen. We boast about our favor, let it be known what we envisioned, achieved, built, influenced, earned.

The Lord has for us a whole new paradigm: life is all about Me. ‘Your specialness, your freedom, your bounty, your safety, your successes- they are all about My love, My amazing grace, My holiness, My generosity.’ We are to know this, and know it well. (Romans 12:3)

Once we begin to see life and gifts through this divine, eternal lens, we marvel at how different aspects of God’s character involve themselves in our every day. Do we sense His love and creativity when we behold the beauty of a color-burst dawn graced with soaring birds and their cheery song? Do we delight in His unique affection when our hearts squeeze at the sight, birth, or death of a loved one? How well do we know that all we have and are is from Him, and for Him? (Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 4:7; Colossians 1:16-17)

The next time we’re tempted to take credit, would we point to Jesus? How has He guided, guarded, or given to our benefit? A changed mindset results in greater praise to Him.

All glory to You, my Lord.