Circumstances and Relationship

Synopsis     Deuteronomy 9:3-9          2/5/2018

Moses prophesied to the people. He told them that God would do the work of driving out the inhabitants of the land. He reminded them that God wasn’t doing these things because the Israelites were righteous. Instead, God was driving out the people because of the wickedness of the Canaanites and because of the promise to Abraham.

Judge Circumstances Wisely

The tendency is to believe that a person blessed is blessed because of his or her righteousness. Alternatively, a person suffering is suffering because of some moral failure; some hidden sin in their life.

Moses pointed out to the Israelites that they weren’t given the promised land because of their righteousness. They hadn’t “earned” this blessing. So if we look at the Promised Land as this extraordinary gift given to the Israelites and conclude that they were especially righteous – we would err.

Why then, were they given the land?

The short answer came from God. First, the Canaanite’s Nazi-like wickedness cried out for redress. This combined with the promises God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Nothing to do with the righteousness of the Israelites.

Reason for “Good” Gifts

But the long answer has to do with relationship. We know we can’t judge a person’s righteousness based on their circumstances – I can’t judge my own righteousness based on my circumstances.

What then, makes a set of circumstances good?

Here’s  a claim: Life’s highest possibility is to know God as a person – to know the person of God – to be a friend of God.

So my circumstances, whether filled with pleasure or suffering, or a little of both, are orchestrated to bring me to the place of relationship. The love I’ve received, even the evil I’ve suffered, these will lead me to the place of relationship if I’m willing to follow.

Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.” John 9:3