Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Equipping the People of God

Betsy Mathew
Epiphany MTC, NY

“When the Lord your God brings you into the land He swore to give you … be careful that you do not forget the Lord…” Deut 6:10-12

 
Have you ever felt overwhelmingly blessed?  That feeling that washes over you when you realize that you have so much more than you deserve?  Maybe it was the day you found out you got into the college you wanted to go to! Maybe it was the day you realized someone wanted to marry you and spend their life with you! Maybe it was the day your baby was born and you saw his or her tiny face and fingers for the first time! Maybe it was the day you when you stepped into your new home! Maybe it was the day you got that job you always wanted! Maybe it was the day you really realized you were loved by God – truly forgiven!
This passage was written at a time like that.  The Israelites had finished wandering in the desert for 40 years and were about to cross the Jordan into the promised land… “a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant” v11.  There must have been a feeling of thankfulness, nervousness, excitement, joy and anticipation in the air.  At that time Moses reminded them what to do with that feeling.  He gave them (and us) instructions on what to do when we’re feeling overwhelmingly blessed!
  1. Do not forget the Lord who brought you out (v12) – in the middle of the celebration remember who brought you there.  Give credit to God. Thank Him!  Love Him!
  2. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you (v13) – Don’t let yourself think that it was your own prowess or intellect or money that brought you there.  That amounts to worshiping yourself or the gods of money and power.
  3. Tell your children (v7) – We are often quick to tell our children about how hard we worked or how hard life has been – but we should be telling them about how much God has blessed us and how much God has done for us even when we don’t deserve it.
  4. Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God. Obeying those 10 commandments to love God, to make time for God, to honor others and not harm others, to live a content life – is your way of saying ‘Thank You’ to God.
So what do you do when you feel overwhelmingly blessed and loved by God?
Jason Gray put it this way in his song “Good to be Alive”
“I won’t take it for granted.
I won’t waste another second.
All I want is to give You
A life well lived, to say “Thank you”  

PRAYER

Thank you Father for the many beautiful, exciting, amazing gifts that You have given us.  We do not even deserve it!  Today we want to say that You are the reason for our joy and our every blessing.  We love you Father and stop to say Thank You.  Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
All I want is to give You A life well lived, to say “Thank you.” ~ Jason Gray (American contemporary Christian singer-songwriter)

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