A new generation awaits the promise. The preparations are at hand. Moses continues to present his case. Embedded in an extended discourse on the issue of self-awareness lies the problem, its consequences, and its solution. Humanity’s responsibility in the face of their inclination to the things opposed to God can serve a bitter dish of consequence, but not without hope.
“Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently…So watch yourselves carefully…So watch yourselves…”
“When you…do that which is evil in the sight of the Lord your God so as to provoke Him to anger…you will surely perish quickly from the land…You shall not live long on it, but will be utterly destroyed.”
“But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.”
“For the Lord your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.”
Deuteronomy 4:9-31 (abbreviated)
God’s aim is not for harm. His purpose is not for destruction…nor suffering…nor hardship. He is a compassionate God. He is a patient God. And His Old Covenant based upon His people’s upholding His Laws requires that they maintain a particular self-awareness–otherwise, they reap the consequences. Nevertheless, it is here also that the people of God are receiving–in the middle of dire warnings–a most glorious truth about God that should carry them all their days. But, they have a responsibility…
What is their responsibility?
Give heed themselves. Keep their souls. Watch themselves. Watch.
And this is yet another reason Why Christ Had To Die.
Why?
They didn’t give heed to themselves…they didn’t keep their souls…they didn’t watch themselves. They weren’t responsible people.
How Does This Apply To Us Today?
Just like the ancient people of God, we too have a responsibility, but we don’t give heed to ourselves. We don’t keep our souls. We don’t watch ourselves. We’re not responsible people either. Our desires are ancient–forged in the furnace of having our own way. We all know that our inclinations are often prioritized toward ourselves, our world, our life, our hopes, our dreams, our jobs, our kids, our marriages, our education, our body-image, our perceptions, our ______. We know the angles, and we know how to get what we want–through anger, tears, fear, threats, etc.
Don’t believe me? Do you ever find yourself fashioning or shaping situations or people or circumstances or thoughts or positions to manipulate and control your future or your present or to protect your past? Why do people lie on resumes? Why do people lie to each other? Why do people lose their temper when things don’t go their way? Ever seen road-rage? A parent lose it with their kids? Why do marriages fall apart? They didn’t begin thinking it would fail. What about people losing their hope when they lose their jobs? Identity issues. Struggling with commitment? Assuming you’re entitled because of a degree? Pursuing a degree (a job…a relationship) to find your purpose? Discontent with your life? Why? What are you doing to control it? We’re master manipulators…just like they were.
Therefore, in principle, this is a struggle of idolatry. We’re no different than the ancient Israelites as they came in and out idolatrous relationships with the nations. They knew they had YHWH as their God. They knew that He would fight their battles, but their desire was to manipulate in order to achieve power, pleasure, and prestige.
And it was into this fray…this evil…this despair that God sent forth His Son.
As a result, you don’t have to be defined by your inability to give heed, your inability to keep your soul, your inability to watch yourself, or your irresponsibility. No, no, this is not who you are if you are in Christ. He took your failures, your manipulations, your inclinations to please, to have power, to pursue pleasure, to garner prestige, and He nailed it to the cross.
He wants you. He died for you. He is your life. Therefore, as a Christian, you are sustained, you are sufficient, you are empowered to reject manipulation and to rest in His provision.
“Our experiences are given to us not so that we will become obedient (per se), but rather that we will learn trust God.” -Dr. Jim Allman
Therefore, will you trust God? Will you walk in obedience? Will you trust God? Your obedience doesn’t make you right with God, but rather it shows that you trust Him.
And so, how do you give heed to yourselves? How do you keep your soul? How do you watch yourself carefully?
You trust and entrust your life to the One who did this for you–on your behalf–the risen Lord, Jesus Christ. And then…you obey, you walk in the newness of your life in Christ. A reality that never gets old!
And one of the greatest acts of obedience and trust is that you confess your sin. As you confess your sin, you are agreeing with God that you are insufficient in and of yourself to be obedient, you are agreeing with God that He has provided Christ as a substitute for your insufficiency, you are agreeing with God that His Son’s sacrifice on your behalf was sufficient to make you right with Him, and you are agreeing with God that the Holy Spirit is using all things in your life to conform you to the image of Christ.
Glory.
We have a Savior who did give heed to Himself. He did keep His soul. He did watch carefully. And therefore, we who did not have hope, now have hope. He has made His overflowing grace available to all who walk out in faith. He is a compassionate God freeing us to obey and trust without fear of condemnation, but rather pleasure and joy. Glory. Glory! Glory to our Savior! He has made a way!
What a compassionate God we serve…through Christ, He will not fail us nor destroy us nor forget His covenant! Glory!
— May 18, 2018