Deuteronomy: At Journey's EndSample

Through all the changing scenes of life

Life changes; the Lord does not change. Why was Israel in the wilderness? The Lord led them there (v. 2). Why would they enjoy prosperity in Canaan? The Lord brought them in (v. 7). He is never anywhere else than caring for his people. No other mind plans for them; no other hand cares for them. This is one of the great themes in Deuteronomy 8. 

Parallel to it is the second theme: our minds must be equally concentrated on him. We are urged to be careful ‘to remember’ (v. 2) and ‘Be careful that you do not forget’ (v. 11). Trials bring blessings (vv. 2–6): a right lowly understanding of ourselves (v. 2a), a heart tested for loyalty (v. 2b), sufficient provision in every situation (vv. 3–4) and divine education (v. 5). Prosperity brings snares (vv. 7–17): forgetting God and slackness in obeying (v. 11), arrogance and a wrong understanding of ourselves (vv. 14, 17). 

When life is difficult, people say, ‘But I do not see the point!’ Yet equally we should wonder what the point is of the good times – though, in our unthinking way, we don’t! But our God of grace is always purposeful in all his dealings: he is working to draw out our hearts in devotion to himself (v. 2), to teach us proper priorities for life and to rebuke our materialism (v. 3), to educate us as a father trains his sons (v. 5; cf. Heb. 12:5–11) and to bring us to the good he intends for us but which can be reached by no other way (v. 15 – there was no other way from Egypt to Canaan but through the wilderness). It’s like the parable of the weeds (Matt. 13:24–30, 36–43): weed them out early and the wheat will be damaged in the process and not become perfect to harvest. 

There is a third great theme running through Deuteronomy 8. Verses 2, 5, 14 and 17 (where ‘to yourself’ literally means ‘in your heart’) all mention the heart as a key personal factor – the heart set to obey (v. 2), the heart that goes on trusting the Father’s wisdom ‘in all the changing scenes of life’ (v. 5), the heart guarded against forgetting (v. 14), and the heart exercised in remembrance and thankfulness (v. 18). Such a heart sings with the hymn-writer, Henry A. Collins,  ‘What didst thou find in me that thou hast dealt so lovingly’* and knows the answer – nothing! It is all of God, all of grace, all of goodness and all of his determination to honour his own covenant (v. 18).

Reflection

Rejoice that: 

‘Through all the changing scenes of life, in trouble or in joy, the praises of my God shall still my heart and tongue employ.’ 

(Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady, ‘Through all the changing seasons of life’, based on Ps. 34:1–8).

*From the hymn, ‘Jesus, My God, My Lord, My All’