Happy Monday! I’m reading through Matthew right now and His words stood out to me this morning while He was being tempted in the wilderness, which led me flipping to Deuteronomy and I thought it would be a fitting prayer for us this week.
In Matthew when Jesus is being tempted by the devil after His fast in the wilderness to turn the stones to bread, Jesus answered,
“It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matt 4:4
which led me to turn to:
Deuteronomy 8:2-3
“And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness to humble you and to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” Deut 8:2-3
Further in the passage the Lord reveals He is leading His people into a good land full of provision and they would no longer face scarcity, but He warns them not to forget Him when their lives become “easier”, no longer wandering in the wilderness.
“Lest - when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there is no water…” Deut 8:14-15
After a long Saturday, my family was able to enjoy an easy “treat dinner” of frozen french toast sticks while we watched a movie, (Ha-Ha I know…very nutritious right?!). Normally, splurging on these “fun” foods is out of my grocery budget so it was a refreshing break to see the smiles and excitement of my kiddos when I announced our dinner menu (plus I didn’t have to cook!). As we sat and munched those gooey syrupy treats it hit me how quickly I can forget the Lord when we have a time of ease and enjoyment.
Our wilderness seasons don’t last forever, though, it can feel like it. When the wandering has stopped, and our rest becomes easier and our heart feels lighter - let us not forget the special holding of the Lord. I of course do not want to be in a wilderness season forever, but I do cherish the closeness I feel I have with the Lord during such difficult times, and I hate to admit how quickly I can forget His nearness and His provision when it feels I have breathing room.
I pray that whether in a wilderness season or a season of rest, that we would grasp and see His great love and care in our lives, that we would not forget that He has provided all that we have, that He is leading us each day. That we would see that the shiny promises of the world would appear as they truly are - empty, and that we would seek His word and that we would continue to invite Him in to each moment we face.