Land of Plenty – Plenty of Pride

And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.  “Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

 Deuteronomy 8:10-14

 

I do not know  if this country is in a recession or a  depression. What I know is that we have huge financial issues resulting from years of doing things our own way. As I read these verses I thought of our own nation where we have certainly known what it is to eat until we are full, to build good houses, and to have financial success.

I was reading today that when George Washington instituted the holiday of Thanksgiving he was very clear that it was a day to give thanks to our sovereign God in appreciation of HIS provision for the nation.  Our government has been slowly but surely taking God out of every piece of literature and every venue they can.  For all intent and purposes from a political perspective we have become a godless nation.

Sadly, this is also happening in our churches. We enjoy the plenty this nation offers so we fear talking about the Lord except among those we know will accept our message.  We fear the ire of the non-Christian.  We worry about offending others or we say we’re just too busy to get involved in the lives of others to the point that we would have a Christian influence on them.

This passage from Deuteronomy warns us against this kind of behavior.  In our comfort, our ease, and our wealth we have become complacent toward the One who provided it, just like He said we would.  We are fat and comfortable with our good houses, our meat, and our money.  We are no longer willing to “Bless the Lord” for this good that He has given us.  Too many think we have worked hard and earned it as if He had nothing to do with it.

Verses 17 –18 say, “Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

Pride causes us to forget that it is God who has given us our prosperity.  He warned us not to let it happen and we have. We give Him no credit for our houses, our meat, or our money! As a nation we are proud in thinking that we can get along without God and without following His commands.

Though I would have to admit that it has taken me years to fully grasp how true this is, every law, every command and statute that comes from God are for our good, and the good of our nation. As individuals we may believe this but as a nation we have denied God’s law and His generosity, taking full credit for our prosperity.

It is pride not to believe what God says and to take credit for what He gives us.  God hates pride and He says He will bring down the proud and lift up the humble.  I fear we are on the way down because we have failed to repent of our national pride. The consequences for failing to repent are grave.  Deuteronomy 8:19-20, “And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish.  Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God.”

As individuals, as a church, and as a nation, will we confess?  How can you and I live so others remember the goodness and generosity of God and his Law?