God Cares for All

The Gift of Faith
Restorative Faith
Grateful Faith

Deuteronomy 11:12-21  The Message

^10-12 The land you are entering to take up ownership isn’t like Egypt, the land you left, where you had to plant your own seed and water it yourselves as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are about to cross the river and take for your own is a land of mountains and valleys; it drinks water that rains from the sky. It’s a land that God, your God, personally tends—he’s the gardener—he alone keeps his eye on it all year long.
^13-15 From now on if you listen obediently to the commandments that I am commanding you today, love God, your God, and serve him with everything you have within you, he’ll take charge of sending the rain at the right time, both autumn and spring rains, so that you’ll be able to harvest your grain, your grapes, your olives. He’ll make sure there’s plenty of grass for your animals. You’ll have plenty to eat.
^16-17 But be vigilant, lest you be seduced away and end up serving and worshiping other gods and God erupts in anger and shuts down Heaven so there’s no rain and nothing grows in the fields, and in no time at all you’re starved out—not a trace of you left on the good land that God is giving you.
^18-21 Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night. Inscribe them on the doorposts and gates of your cities so that you’ll live a long time, and your children with you, on the soil that God promised to give your ancestors for as long as there is a sky over the Earth.

For Reflection

If you are patient and trust God you will soon realize that God provides for you.  This generosity does not negate the fact that one has to provide for him or herself.  But, total reliance on self will never result in the satisfaction of living in the Kingdom where one's self-determination is displaced by trust in God.

The appeal of self-determination is strong.  It is especially effective when one is frustrated by pressing needs or wants.  Have patience.  God will provide in God's time.  God will not let you down.  Look for the opportunities to serve God and you will find a fully satisfying life.

Pray

for the patience to wait for God.  Pray for the strength to reject the seduction of "do it yourself."  Pray for the confidence and trust in God which frees you to find grace in obedience to God's will for you.