And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. (Deuteronomy 11:13-14)

Again and again, Moses stressed the need to earnestly pay attention to what was being said and to contemplate what a person must do in service to God. In short, obedience or disobedience had (has) life and death consequences. In these verses, to obey meant that the land, which is a unique land as we discussed in the previous devotion, responds positively. The rains will come and flow from the mountains into the streams and water the lowlands. In turn, the fields will produce what the people need in order to eat and be filled.

On the other hand, if the people ignore what they have learned, they will likely, in time, forget all. In fact, Moses hints at the notion that the blessings may be the very thing that causes us to forget what God has instructed to do. He says, “You will eat and be satisfied…but beware” of the fact that prosperity tends to breed apathy and self indulgence. Quite frankly, it is difficult though not impossible, for those who have plenty to remain spiritually diligent. Remember what Messiah said: it is easier for a camel to travel through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom.

As He stated, it is hard for those with plenty to continue to walk upright because the temptations of wealth and abundance are hard to overcome. However, as Messiah also said, it is not impossible because, “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). It seems abundantly clear that God desires to bless His people with all that they need (not necessarily all that they want). But we shouldn’t approach this issue with the attitude of “I’ll do in order to receive” but with a heart that wants to please our Maker because we love Him. Therefore, the formula that positions us to be blessed in this manner is simple: love God and walk in submission to His Will.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

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