Deuteronomy 8:1-6 – Perception helps us to advancing with God.

We have already established that our life with God is a journey. Perception and awareness are two critical elements we need to develop if we want to advance in our walk with Him. We can 0nly stay on course when we regularly take the time and effort to evaluate where we have been and where we are now. We need to know what we have done well and where we have failed. The reason is obvious. It will enable us to make the necessary changes to what and where we have gone wrong. In Deuteronomy 8:1-6, the passage before us, tell us that to walk in obedience to God, we need to look back at all that God had done throughout the journey, and evaluate all that had happened at every turn of the way. This will help us to have the right perspective, appreciate God, make needful changes, and stay faithful and obedient to Him.

Moses wanted the children of Israel to know how privileged they were as His chosen people so that they would obey Him and walk faithfully with Him. He was the one guiding them throughout their journey. Everything they had experienced, positive or negative, was permitted by Him to train and hone them. Every circumstance in their life was permitted by Him to nurture them. Some were there to humble them. Others were there to prove their love for Him. And there were those to test their obedience and develop their trust in Him. From all the experiences, one thing God wanted them to know most was that they needed Him more than food or anything they craved for.  

Like the children of Israel we must know that God Himself is leading us. Like what happened to His chosen people, God also allowed our varied experiences to train and discipline us. He also allows circumstances to help cultivate humility in us, to prove our love for Him, and to develop our trust in Him. Here we can identify four things God expected of each of us. Firstly, He wants us to have humility. He will allow circumstances to happen to test our character, take away pride, and humbly trust Him. Secondly, He wants to develop in us a life that depends on Him. There will be times that He will allow us to come to our wits end so that we will begin to look to Him for a solution that He alone can give. Thirdly, He wants us to have an attitude of gratitude. This will help us to acknowledge that all that we have and can potentially have, come from Him alone. He is our source.  And fourthly, He wants us to build in us a life of faithful obedience to Him. Nothing happens to us by chance!