Deuteronomy 8 "Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. 2) And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
Before we are able to enter the promise land, or what God has promised us; we must enter into a covenant with him. Too many times today we focus on God's end of the deal and we forget that the covenant is a two sided contract. When I was in college, for my business law class while studying contract law I learned that if there is only one beneficial party the contract is voidable. For example if you enter a contract to buy a house your benefit is the house, the seller's benefit is usually monetary.
Yes, the gift of salvation is free; meaning it doesn't cost you any money. But what God's covenant does require is that we obey his commandments.
Not only did God lead the Israelites into the wilderness, he tested them to know what was in their hearts, he chastened them like a father chastens his son Deut 8:5, he allowed them to hunger, he humbled them that they may know that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.
I am in a situation now that I know God is humbling me, he is allowing me to hunger, and providing manna which my fathers did not know. He is testing me to see what is in my heart. The only thing I can do is trust God that he is my Father and he is doing what is best for me. He will also always provide water out of the flinty rock and manna to eat.
I may not have excess but I will soon be able to cross the Jordan into the promise land. Although when I arrive there will be many battles to fight and many wars to win, God is bringing me to a good place, a place my fathers dreamed of. All I have to do is hold up my end of the covenant and obey God's commandments. And prove to him what is in my heart.
Deut 9: Hear, o Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today and go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven.
Side Note: The other passage I love is when God says he is not taking them to the promise land because they are the greatest among the nations, because they are the least. God truly does give grace to the humble.
