Readings for today: Deuteronomy 28, Luke 11:14-36, Psalms 77, Proverbs 12:18
Two things are required if you truly want to understand the Bible. First, you must read it as a cohesive whole. The sum is greater than the parts. It tells an integrated story that you cannot understand if you try to read one section apart from the others. Second, you must understand your self. You are not a blank slate. You introduce bias into the equation every time you open up the book to read. You are a product of your environment. Your worldview is shaped by your circumstances. As such, you have a filter that you run all that you are reading through and it can often lead to misunderstanding.
Today’s reading is a classic example. If you try to read Deuteronomy 28 apart from the larger story God has been telling up to this point time, you will completely miss the point. The point is NOT to obey God in order to gain the blessings. Our obedience is NOT a form of manipulation to get God to give us what we want. This is not a step by step process to health and wealth in this world. This is not a guarantee that life will always be easy or a way to avoid suffering. Unfortunately, far too many people read it that way. They flatten out the Scriptures. Dis-integrate this text from the larger context. Atomize the Bible into bits and pieces in order to support their own selfish desires. Most of us come to the text as Americans. Raised on the premise that if one works hard, one can succeed. We define success in terms of money made, possessions acquired, health maintained, etc. We view suffering as the ultimate evil. Something to be avoided at all costs. So when we come to Deuteronomy, we see a text that naturally fits our worldview quite well. It endorses the American Dream. It fits the American way of life like a glove. But then life happens. We experience failure. We get hurt. Our hearts get broken. We struggle through trials and temptation. And this leads us to doubt God. What happened to His promises? Why doesn’t He deliver? Is He not faithful?
We would do better to examine our own false assumptions. God is faithful. He has declared Himself to be good. He loves us with an everlasting love. His great desire expressed in the first and greatest commandment is that we would love Him in return. With all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. If we make love and devotion for God the great end of our lives, then we will follow His commands. We will find ourselves naturally seeking His ways. We will define our lives according to His terms. And the result will be blessing. Not in every single instance because that is not how life works but on balance. On the whole. When a person who loves God in the way He deserves and demands looks back over the course of their entire lives, they will see the life Deuteronomy 28 describes. Does that mean you will live in a large house? Drive a fancy car? Live off a flush 401k? Does it mean your marriage will never struggle? Your kids never suffer? Your relationships never break? Of course not. In this world you will face trials. In this world you will suffer temptation. In this world you will experience brokenness. But those who love God with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength overcome the world. They see the trials in light of the eternal glory God is revealing in and through them. And it is more than enough.
There is no greater freedom than living wholly for God. There is no greater joy in life than giving all you have to God. There is no greater peace than trusting God to meet every need according to His wisdom and the riches of His grace. There is no greater love than laying down our lives for the cause of Christ. All that you desire is within your grasp. All you need to do is deny yourself. Pick up your cross. And follow Jesus. The way to true fulfillment in this life is the way of relinquishment. Surrender. Submission. Give yourself to Jesus today and watch the blessings flow!
Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 29-30, Luke 11:37-12:7, Psalms 78:1-31, Proverbs 12:19-20