Discover His heart: He has adopted us as His very special treasure.
There’s nothing like being a part of a family. Even with all of its ups and downs, black sheep and sibling rivalries, there are certain privileges afforded a family member that others are not given. As long as we are a part of the family, we are provided with food, clothing, and shelter, and we are included in all the family gatherings such as family reunions, holidays and Will readings.
We don’t earn the right to be a part of the family by our good deeds or because we are perfect, but it is because our parents chose to bring life into the world. Out of disobedience or rebellion, some have decided to leave the protection that the family provides, and they often end up living empty troubled lives, alone. With the holidays just around the corner, I’m especially grateful for my family, and I want to protect it and all the privileges that come with it. Oh, Israel, how could you desert the family!
Moses continued his instructions as the Israelites sat poised to enter the Promised Land and reminded God’s children of who their Father was, “For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure. The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors.”(7:6-8) And the Lord did not provide for His children because they were so good, “You must recognize that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land because you are good, for you are not—you are a stubborn people.” (9:6) Ouch!
Moses also reminded the people of the responsibilities that came with being the children of God. “Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands…He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord…Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good. So obey the commands of the Lord your God by walking in His ways and fearing Him.” (8:2-6) Unfortunately, the Israelites did not accept every word that came from the mouth of the Lord and in their stubbornness and rebellion, most of them eventually deserted the family and left all the privileges that came with it.
Just like many childless fathers, God adopted or grafted in a new family, “But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.”(Romans 11:17) I’m so thankful to be a part of the family! However, because of His great love, God is like the prodigal’s father in Luke 15, who waits and waits for His lost children of Israel to come home and rejoin the family by accepting His Son.
We, too, need to remember the privileges we have received as members of the family of God. Because of Jesus, we have become “joint heirs” in all that God has to offer His children. We are God’s special treasure as well. We did not receive His blessing because we are so good, but simply because He loves us. With His love and all the privileges I receive as His child, I can’t imagine why I would ever desert my family.
Moving Forward: I’m encouraged today to walk in the privileges provided for me as His child, to protect the family name through my behavior and never leave the safety of His love and care.
Tomorrow @ 2 Chronicles 29-32
Phyllis Benigas 