Readings for today: Deuteronomy 28-30
The difficulty with today’s readings is how we tend to “externalize” them. We read through all these blessings and curses and almost immediately jump to the conclusion that they are not fair. They are not right. They are arbitrary and capricious. Our baseline assumption is that human beings are generally good people who occasionally make bad decisions and we question what right God has to judge us so harshly.
But what if understood these blessings and curses to be more like logical consequences than the actions of a volatile deity intent on our destruction? What if these blessings and curses are really God letting us know what will happen as a result of our actions in this world? For example, consider our current crisis. If we will obey the government and abide by the social distancing regulations there is a fair chance our healthcare system will not collapse and we can slowly get on top of this virus. However, if we choose to ignore the social distancing restrictions and do our own thing - see the videos of college students on spring break - the disease will spread and more lives will be lost. This is the logical consequence when human beings fail to love their neighbor as themselves.
So perhaps the judgment of God is less about Him flying into a rage and laying waste to humanity and more about Him simply withdrawing His protective hand? Perhaps it’s God withdrawing His protection and giving us over to the logical consequences of our decision-making? Consider another real-life example. I was in southern Ethiopia two years ago with a team. They were suffering from a drought. Crops were dying. Herds were dying. People were suffering tremendously. This broke the hearts of the members of our team. I remember speaking with one of them as we began our long journey back home. “How can God allow such suffering?” She asked. “Can I respond to your question with another question?” I said. “Sure,” she replied. “Why are we so quick to pin this on God? The World Bank estimates it would take 150 billion to bring clean water to the world. The World Economic Forum suggests it would take 267 billion to end world hunger. These are very realistic goals if human beings simply would follow the words of Jesus and love their neighbors as themselves.” Add to this the fact that the United States uses 25% of the world’s energy so we can live in large homes and drive SUV’s and fund relatively extravagant lifestyles. One can easily see how the natural propensity human beings have for selfishness directly contributes to the suffering of the least resourced in our world.
So what’s the answer? Global communism? The Socialist Green New Deal? The destruction of capitalism? Corporate or political give-aways? No. Again, human sin will always corrupt even the most idealistic of social programs. The answer is Jesus Christ. Only through Christ are we given a new heart. And with a new heart comes a fresh desire to glorify God and serve our neighbor. Only Jesus can solve the most fundamental problem we face in the world today…the total depravity of the human condition. And thankfully, God offers His Son freely and graciously to all who would place their trust in Him.
Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 31-34