Living Life in the Balance with God

To hear Moses describe the Promised Land, it sounded as if it offered vast natural resources—a land where food was plentiful and lacked for nothing (Deut. 8:9). Well, true and not true.

(Photo: Grapes left on vine after harvest in Israel. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)

The land had streams, pools, springs, wheat, barley, grapevines, figs, pomegranates, olives, and honey. Sounds pretty nice. Sign me up.

But this good land existed in a delicate balance of nature—and God tipped the scales. The Hebrews would learn that God alone made the good land “good” in direct proportion to the gratitude, praise, and obedience of His people.

The same is true of our lives.

The Promised Land—Life in the Balance

The Promised Land was a good land, but the “good” came about for a reason. It was a balancing act.

• Without rain, the streams, pools and springs would dry up.
• The 
fate of the crops depended on a narrow, two-month window between Passover and Pentecost (mid-April to mid-June).
• The least change 
in climate could leave the inhabitants hungry.

(Photo: Wild Oats in Israel. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)

Because the Canaanites in the land interpreted this balance as a battle between various deities, Moses warned Israel never to forget the Lord or follow other 
gods, or “like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so you shall perish” (Deut. 8:20).

God never intended to give His people that which would cause them to forget Him. So He rigged their whole existence with an umbilical cord that stretched up to heaven.

Our Day Today—Life in the Balance

The very fact that God gave Israel water from a rock shows He can provide in any situation. So let’s cease worrying about our needs and seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matt. 6:31-34).

Prosperity is no friend to a [selective,] sanctified memory, and therefore we are cautioned, when we are full, lest we forget God. —William Gurnall

(Photo: Grapes during harvest. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)

As we bow our heads each day over warm meals and under dry roofs, we must never forget that God’s gracious provision relates very little to our jobs, our homes, and investments.

He can provide for us anywhere and at any time.

But life in our good land is only good in relation to our relationship with God.

Tell me what you think: What makes life good for you? To leave a comment, just click here.