Deuteronomy 32:15
“But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked—You are grown fat, thick, and sleek—Then he forsook God who made him, And scorned the Rock of his salvation.”
The Lord keeps us in a place that is a good balance of blessing and dependence. First off, He blesses us. This is described all throughout scripture. Psalm 23 speaks of how He prepares a table for us. He lets our lives be a banquet of feasting and honor. The closer we get to Him and the more our lives are conformed to His Word. Thus, the more blessing and honor we feel.
The Lord knows what we can handle. Today’s passage speaks of Jeshurun being filled with so much abundance that He forgot the Lord. We all have that tendency. For some, riches and abundance would be too much of a temptation. For others, an overly smooth life would keep us from Him. Being individuals with different make-ups, a blessing to one could be a curse to another.
We have a God who know us and knows what’s best for us. David prays in Psalm 139:23,24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.” This is an important prayer that all of us should pray. We may feel all is well. Yet there may be hurtful tendencies within.
David is implying that there may be parts of him that he isn’t aware of that could put him in jeopardy. These could be referred to as blindspots. This word make us think of the parts of our car hidden from mirrors. We have to do an uncomfortable turn of the head to check. We do this as the cost of not checking could result in a wreck.
David is asking the Lord to help him with his blindspots. We need to put in effort to pray and check. It may be uncomfortable. It may mean living without or limiting something we enjoy. It may mean less tv, internet, social media, less of a hobby, less news and politics. It may mean more of something: family/friend time, volunteering, eating better and so on.
The person in today’s passage was blessed with abundance and forgot the Lord. I’m sure God put warning signs all along the way. He’ll put cautious thoughts within. He also puts circumstances and people to warn us. We need to pay attention to those. That’s part of David’s prayer, “see if there be any hurtful way in me”. Ignoring warnings is just that, a hurtful way.
Lord, thank You for Your great blessings. Thank You also for the events of life that keep us dependent on You. Let our hearts be tender and responsive.