Wisdom for the New Year
Being wise is a tricky thing. We often have to fight against our feelings and inherint bias to make the truly wise decision. As any Christian knows, we need God’s wisdom to help us discern and make good decisions. Every time Jesus was tempted by Satan, his answer came from the Word of God. Hence, we will learn from God’s Word, specifically Deuteronomy, as a follower of Jesus to help complete and equip us for every good work, and provide us with wisdom and strength in facing all of life’s temptation.
For context around the book of Deuteronomy, Moses had been leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, through the wilderness, on their way to the Promised Land for the past forty years. An entire generation of Israelites had died along the way and now their children, who had been born during those forty years of wilderness wanderings, are about to step into the Promised Land filled with all kinds of challenges. Let’s see how they found wisdom in God’s Word.
Following God involves taking you out from your comfort zone (v.1-5)
A journey from Egypt to Canaan that should have only been taken them eleven days, took the Israelites forty years to complete. Why? Because of the Isreaelite’s continued disobedience. And as the years went by, the second generation of Israelites came to only know one way of life: the wilderness! Yes, they faced challenges and conflicts there in the wilderness, but they were comfortable. The wilderness became all they knew and they were soon to be removed from their comfort zone into a land they had never experienced. As Moses was following God’s command, he knew that it was their destiny to enter the Promised Land. So despite their comfort and the feeling of the familiar, Moses began to prepare them to face the land of the unknown (which included paganism, among other challenges).
In many ways, we’re so much like the children of Israel. The same thing that keeps us back from experiencing God’s best is the same thing that kept them from entering the Promised Land: disobedience. Has following God ever taken you out of your comfort zone? What’s your comfort zone today? What makes it hard to leave your comfort zone?
Trusting God includes taking Him at His Word (v.21-33)
See, the Lord your God has set the land before you. Go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 1:21)
In verse 21, Moses reminded the Israelites of God’s good promise: the Promised Land. And how did they respond? They murmured rebellion against God. The children of Israel had trust issues and it cost them a Promised Land.
If you’re stuck in your comfort zone and know that God is leading you out of it, ask yourself this, ‘how much more does God have to do in your life for you to trust him? One more miracle? One more answered prayer? One more family member saying “yes” to Jesus?’ And if you’re not placing your trust in God, where are you placing it? If we place our trust in someone (or something) other than God, can it truly provide us with eternal peace, joy, comfort, and assurance? The Scriptures tell us many times to trust God, like in Proverbs 3:5-6 which says,
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.
So let’s take God at his word. If he tells us to trust him, that’s all we need to know in order to trust.
Listening to God influences the choices we make (v.42-46)
The children of Israel were constantly in trouble because, again, they kept disobeying God. They continued again and again to fail to listen and heed his word.
God speaks to us in words, and our responsibility as his creatures is to listen, to trust and to obey those words. Too often I’m afraid rather than praying, “Speak, for your servant is listening,” we pray, “Listen, for your servant is speaking.”
How do we listen to God? First, we can listen by giving our attention to and staying focused on God. It involves opening his word, staying focused on what he’s saying and removing any distractions. Second, our response speaks volumes to what we’re thinking and feeling. In the same way, we must respond to God’s word. If we’re not responding, are we truly listening to God’s word? Do we truly care for his voice and his will in our lives? Third, listening to God should lead to action.
We must remember that there’s no following God without trusting God. In turn, there’s no trusting God without listening to him. Only when we listen, trust and follow God can we have the wisdom to tackle and decision or challenge in life.
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your Word and the truths that it contains. Lord, I know that throughout the journey of the Israel, man has sought to rebel against you. Give me a teachable spirit and wisdom and discernment, so that I can walk in Your way in this new year.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen