In Deuteronomy chapter 9..
we read the israelites are about to cross into the promise land,
God is speaking through Moses trying to tell everyone
to remember, to know...that it is not by their righteousness
that they are receiving this land that is flowing with milk and honey.
God says it is because of the wickedness of the nations
living in "The Promise Land" and because
of the promise that God made their fathers,
not for anything they have done.
After the Lord your God has driven them out before you,
do not say to yourself, "The Lord has brought me here to
take possession of this land because of my righteousness."
No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations
that the Lord is going to drive them out before you.
It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity
that you are going in to take possession of their land;
but on account of the wickedness of these nations the Lord
will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore
to your fathers, to Abraham,Isaac and Jacob.
Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness
that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess,
for you are a stiff-necked people.
Deuteronomy 9:4-6
Gods pretty much saying in his own special way..
"Hey..it's not because of anything you have done,
it's not because of your integrity...because frankly
you have done nothing but complain...and you have no integrity
to even speak of." Chapter nine continues
with just how many times the israelites made the Lord angry,
and how the Lord just wanted to destroy them.
For all the good the Lord did...the israelites only wanted more..
for all the good the Lord did, it seems the israelites would always forget,
and just fall back into their old ways.
This is a good example of how we should not be,
how we can't say we should have this happen
or we should get this or that because we are so "righteous"
or I am where I am because I..did this...I did that...I am awesome
NO!
You are where you are because GOD allowed you to be there..
God did that!...God allowed that...
GOD is awesome and praiseworthy, not you.
If you decide to get all high and mighty
and decide to think as if everything you got you deserve,
because you are so faithful and great,
don't be surprised when God lets you fall on your ass.
Just like a child who screams for their mom/dad
when they fall and hurt themselves, so will be you
when you fall and when trouble comes..
you won't scream for help from you, you'll scream for help from God.
And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you
but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways,
to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul, and to observe the Lords commands
and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
Love the Lord your God with all your heart,soul, mind and strength..
praise him for his glory...
in the bad times and the good times..
when in pain
when in sorrow..
when it doesn't look like the sun will shine tomorrow.
hold steadfast to his glory..
because never will he leave you
hold his name on high
because never will he forsake you.
to you O Lord be the glory
forever and ever
because without you we are nothing.
Your breath gave us life we didn't earn
from dust we came
and to dust we shall return