The Bible reveals a pattern of people drifting from the Lord in times of blessing. Crises tend to draw us to Him. When the crises abate, we may forget how badly we need Him. This was a major concern for Moses and Joshua concerning the rest that God planned to give the people in Canaan. They had endured years of slavery in Egypt and then hardship in the desert. They would now have rest in the promised land. Rather than dropping their spiritual guard, they were called to be watchful, careful in the midst of great blessings…
"And when the LORD your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you-- with great and good cities that you did not build, 11 and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant-- and when you eat and are full, 12 then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13 It is the LORD your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. (Deut. 6:10-13)
For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. 10 One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. 11 Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God. (Jos. 23:9-11)
So also the future kings of Israel were warned to be careful in the context of rest and blessing:
"When you come to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, 'I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,' 15 you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose... 16 Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the LORD has said to you, 'You shall never return that way again.' 17 And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold. (Deut. 17:14-17)
Of course, the people and their kings failed to heed these warnings. In the midst of the rest and blessings God afforded them, they did forget God and chase after idols. Their kings, especially Solomon (1 Kings 10-11), failed in every point of Deut 17:14-17.
A prescription for watchfulness during times of rest and blessing can be drawn from the above passages. We can also find them reiterated in the NT. The prescription is two-fold.
First, keep a watchful eye for idolatrous impulses. “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 Jn. 5:21). Just as the Israelites were in danger of putting the gifts above the giver, so also are we. So, Paul writes, Do not be idolaters as some of them were (1 Cor. 10:7). Blessings should not become joys in themselves. Rather, we should strive to consciously enjoy them as gifts from God Himself. Let the blessing turn our attention to Him. Three suggestions: (1) turn your attention toward the Lord in the morning, purposing to enjoy good things consciously aware of His presence and provision, praying that He will help in this; (2) review the day before going to sleep each night, enumerating the good things enjoyed, thanking God for them, and meditating on how His character is displayed in them; and (3) ask yourself daily, "How am I being pulled toward created things above the Creator?"
Second, pursue greater love for the Lord and others. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Heb. 10:24-25). Common to the passages above is the theme of loving God. Loving God above all things is the great panacea against unfaithfulness in all seasons. As we come out of a difficult season, we should be all the more intentional about time in the Word, time in prayer, and time with other believers precisely because we may not feel the need for it so acutely. Two suggestions: (1) cultivate or re-institute a daily habit of rehearsing components of the gospel. (Here is a great tool.) (2) Begin reading the Bible one-to-one with someone new.
Praise God we are where we are. Praise God He sustained us over the last year, drew us to Himself, and taught us so much. Let us continue to run the race with a renewed sense of how desperately we need Him and how worthy He is of our love and adoration.
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