Lessons

Deut. 8:2-6

"And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not."

God has a purpose in asking His people to remember, that is He wants them to remember the lessons that they had learned in the wilderness walk. First, he reminds them of the 'why.' God sent them into the wilderness as a test, a test to see what was in their hearts, a test to see if they would keep His commandments or not. Was God in their hearts, or was there a strong root of rebellion? What an example for me! Just as their life for 40 years was a trial so my life is a series of trials. These trials reveal the stuff of my heart. Do I cry out for God's grace to endure, or do I complain and rebel? In the training grounds of trials I can grow strong as long as God's word is in my heart, as long as I am obedient, and as long as I allow His grace to be my strength. My trials are God-sent opportunities to reveal what is in my heart.

"And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." God's method of learning lessons comes through humility. God knows that when my pride is in control, I only listen to myself. To listen to Him, I must be humbled by God Himself. As part of Israel's humbling, He allowed hunger for the express purpose of teaching a lesson through feeding them. Does God allow hardship in my life so that I can see His meeting my needs? Am I so thankful for His meeting my needs that I do not see His lessons? Are the eyes of my heart even aware of God's hand in the physical details of my life? Israel's lesson was learning that they would not live by bread alone, but by the word of God. They had to replace the priorities of the physical life with the priorities of the spiritual life. Likewise, my life is not to be caught up in the pursuit of necessities, but in the pursuit of the word of God. I can trust God to supply what I need. I don't need to be "anxious about my life, what I will eat or what I will drink, nor about my body, what I put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?...My heavenly Father knows that I need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God."

Then God continues by saying, "Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in His ways and by fearing Him." Israel experienced another great miracle in their clothing and their physical strength. They may not have had much variety in their wardrobe, but all that they had was in great shape. Their clothes were made to last by the Creator Himself. This was not so that they didn't have to carry suitcases on their 40 year hike, but so that they might experience the discipline of the Lord as a training tool to teach them to walk and fear the Lord. I love how God's lessons are so specific. He deals with their shoes to remind them of their spiritual walk. Am I looking for the specifics of the lessons that God allows in my life? What was God's heart toward these people? He was as a Father to His son, a father who disciplines his son out of love. So it is with God. His love poured over Israel training them in how to walk and to fear Him. So it is with me. God is my loving Father who trains me in how I should walk and fear Him.

What an encouragment in these verses! What great insight into the trials that come my way and into the nature of the One who allows them! Through it all, I know that God loves me above all. Not only is God's school the school of hard knocks, of trials ,and difficulties, but it is the school of needs met, of provision, and of miracles. I need to focus beyond the provision and be looking for His lesson.

Father,

Open my eyes to the great things that You are doing in my life. Help me to focus on Your hand behind the trial, and Your lesson behind the provision. I so want to fear You and walk obediently in the ways of Your Word, but I need Your strength and grace to do this. I confess my discontent and grumbling when I wanted an easier path.

In Jesus name,

Amen