Day 93: God is Not Our Fortune Teller

Deuteronomy 29-30; Job 18

The Israelites had a lot to learn, but as Moses pointed out, they needed a change of heart before they would truly understand.  I think that is true for anyone wanting to understand faith, the Lord, Jesus’ message.  How does a person truly explain faith?  Hope?  Grace? The God Almighty?  Sometimes, until a person has accepted Christ, and their heart has been transformed, it may seem impossible to help them understand.

On that same note, following Jesus isn’t just an emotional decision, a one-time deal, a ticket out of Hell.  It is about a changed heart that creates a changed life.  As Christ followers, we have to feel differently, want differently, live differently.  We cannot accept the things of this world as meaningful or good.  We cannot do what the world does.  We cannot live our lives in our own way.  When Jesus becomes the Lord of our lives, he is just that, our Lord, and our life should reflect the worship and service that he deserves and commands.

Moses also tells the Israelites that God hasn’t explained the present or future, but he has commanded us to obey the laws he gave us.  Do we know how our lives are going to work out?  We wish.  Would it be nice to know if our decisions will lead us to financial prosperity?  Of course.  Would it be cool to know who you are going to marry?  Absolutely.  But if the Lord was just our fortune teller, what reason would we have to trust or love or have faith?  God is not here to just tell us what we want to know, he is here (as he already revealed above) to change our hearts.  It is about a relationship and a life.

His commands are nearby and we know them by heart.  Do we really?  I mean, what about all the people who don’t have a Bible—they don’t know his commands.  Then how come many people who live lives of sin, eventually leave it, and try to live better?  Isn’t there something deep in people’s hearts that whisper to them that what they are doing is wrong?  People call it a conscience, but I think it is God and his Holy Spirit trying to get our attention in life.  We know what we should do—we just have to do it.

So we are now 30 chapters in to Deuteronomy, and they STILL haven’t entered the promised land.  Wouldn’t the Israelites by now be grumbling, “we know already, let us go in”?  This entire book has been a preparation for the promised land, the same way our lives are preparation for the promised land of heaven.  Is there a lot of instruction in this life?  Yes.  Do we often have to wait longer than we want?  For sure.  Is it going to be worth it?  Oh yeah.