God’s Gifts Are Not Deserved

Posted by In the"Bible Reflections and Devotionals" category 0 Comments

Today’s reading: Deuteronomy 11:16-21

Today’s reading makes me realize that I must practice something new with thoughts that come to my head prefaced by “I deserve …”.

Those two words almost always lead me to trouble. Last night, for example, I came home sore and sun burnt after a very long day of mowing customer’s yards and saw the six pack of beer I’d bought two weeks ago in preparation for just this very sort of evening.

A cold beer and some left over pizza will be very nice right now, I thought. I deserve it.

I ate and drank for nearly an hour, and then I turned on the TV for more relaxation that I thought I deserved.

I gradually forgot about my plans to spend a couple of hours after dinner getting caught up on some painting that I’ve been neglecting on my house.

That word “deserve” caused me to forget the most important lesson of Christianity. Good things do not come to me because I deserve them. They come because Jesus was tortured by people just like me, and God’s glorious response was to bless all people n– even me —  eternally.

I believe it’s true that God wanted me to spend some relaxing time at home recuperating from a long day of hard work. But to think I deserved that is to fall into the trap that today’s reading warns against.

“Take care, or you will be seduced into turning away, serving other gods and worshiping them.”

I must be honest. I served beer and pizza last night (pun intended) and then I worshiped a little television. I was indeed seduced into turning away from God.

I realize today that, had I substituted the words, “God wants me …” for “I deserve,” my living room would probably be painted this morning.

I would have laughed at the ridiculousness in, “God wants me to sit here the rest of the night with this pizza, beer and TV show and forget about the work I’ve promised to do in His  name.”

And I’m certain I would have adjusted my thoughts.

“No, God wants me to relax and recuperate for an hour or so over a healthy meal, and, through that, He will give me the strength to continue His work.”

Thanks be to God for His eternal blessings. May I (and we) always remember that I do not, in fact, deserve them.