Deuteronomy 9:5–Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

At one time or another we all have thought to ourselves, “I don’t deserve this”.  Usually that sentiment is centered around tragedies, misfortunes, and even inconveniences in our lives.  Generally we talk less about about what we do deserve, in considering our own negative heart and behavior towards God and other people at times…

We like to talk about, complain, and boast about what we deserve or don’t deserve, because in that moment we are measuring things as the judge.  Or what the Bible would say, what “seems right in our own eyes”.  The problem with our own eyes, without being “purified” through God’s, is that we tend to defend our sins, and highlight our works.  So “I deserve this because I do that, or I don’t deserve this because I don’t do that” will be the way we think of our lives. (Proverbs 21:2)

The moment that “scale” is in our minds, we have removed the One Judge, who knows exactly our heart and His purpose.  Which is why, if we choose our own scale of measuring ourselves, we are in unbelief!  Because only by faith do we look to God for everything, our righteousness, our hope, our joy, confidence, destination, etc. (Romans 14:23, 1 Corinthians 4:3-4)

Though easier said than done, it brings us into reality.  Moses wanted to make sure the children of Israel understood why they were moving into the “promised land”.  That they wouldn’t be delusional about their life, and think that they deserve to be there.  Rather it was God’s plan to remove the wicked, in order to establish a people who would confirm His Word, thereby glorifying His name among the nations…

A real struggle with accepting this truth, is whether our pride can handle not taking credit for what we have achieved, or in our “righteousness” believing we don’t deserve the things that have happened.  When that line of thinking is our measuring scale, God is removed and His Word is neglected.  Which is why Moses wanted to emphasize to them, that they must confirm His Word, because where they are is about God.  A way of thinking we’ll strive for if it is about living to fulfill the Lord’s purpose…

In His Love, Ld