God of Purpose

Synopsis     Deuteronomy 8:1-11         2/3/2018

Moses remembered how the Lord had allowed the Israelites to experience struggle. God did this in order to reveal their hearts to themselves. He gave them manna so they would know that men do not live by bread alone.

Men and women were not created for merely chasing after the things of this earth. Instead, people truly find life by paying attention to every word that comes from God’s mouth.

Moses reminded the people that as long as they had faithfully followed God, they had lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their bodies remained strong for the journey, no matter where they had been called to go.

God is Sovereign, Purposeful and Faithful

The apostle Paul once wrote, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” Rom 8:28

God has orchestrated your circumstances. Your life is not a chance affair.

God has arranged my circumstances.

And like the ancient Israelites, my circumstances allow me to see my heart. I react and respond to the people, places and things in my life. As I do, what I truly believe is made visible through my actions. It’s the same for all. What I have learned from life – what I’ve failed to learn from life; it’s all manifest in my response to what’s given.

To my successes I owe all thanks to God. He inspires every worthy thought in my mind. From my failures – through my failures, I begin to see what holds me back from loving. In these I recognize what keeps me from creating the value that the rest of the community needs.

God is Unchanging

Moses saw this. He recognized that in God, men and women could live free from anxiety. He understood that we – each of us – experiences life as a process of learning. We learn to love God. We learn to love neighbor. Reflected experience is our greatest teacher.

We learn from every interpretive word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

And His promise to us is that, if we make living out His words our life purpose, then He will take care of the rest.

That’s kind of a staggering promise. Everything that creates anxiety in me can be laid to rest. All I have to do is follow. All I have to do is seek His word and obey. The rest, He promises, is covered.

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, And see if I do not open the floodgates of heaven for you, and pour down upon you blessing without measure! Malachi 3:10