READING:
One-year plan: Deuteronomy 7-9, Luke 1:1-38
Two-year plan: Exodus 35:30-36:38, Matthew 25:14-30
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Once in a while, the Word of God just digs deeply into your soul—even when you’ve read the content several times in the past. Today is one of those days for me. You see, Pam and I are quite blessed. We have food on our table, a roof over our heads, clothing on our backs, and money in the bank. Even as I write this devotion, I’m privileged this week to be equipping my missionary team from around the world. God’s been really good to us.
So, these words to the people of God in Deuteronomy 8 are necessarily convicting to me: “When you eat and are full, and build beautiful houses to live in,and your herds and flocks grow large, and your silver and gold multiply, and everything else you have increases, be careful that your heart doesn’t become proud and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery” (Deut 8:12-14). Apparently, it’s easy to let possessions become a source of pride—and then forget the God who granted you the possessions in the first place. It’s easy to get so focused on stuff that we forget we were once in bondage apart from God’s grace.
The shift, though, is most often subtle . . . so we must daily be on our guard. We must be careful with our hearts.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Are you in danger of forgetting the Lord?
PRAYER: “God, thank You for the gifts You give us—but help us not idolize those gifts.”
TOMORROW’S READINGS:
One-year plan: Deuteronomy 10-13, Luke 1:39-66
Two-year plan: Exodus 37:1-38:20, Matthew 25:31-46
