Apart from the obvious reasons, the book of Deuteronomy gives us a practical reason to be thankful for our income.
Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God ...
“Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God... And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:11-18, KJV).
CONTEXT
After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, a new generation of Israelites were getting ready to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land.
Moses was reminding the new generation about the great works of the Lord. Here they renewed their original covenant with God, to follow Him at Mt. Sinai.
Deuteronomy 8:11-18 was a specific reminder about getting wealth—making money. Since the Old Testament was written for our learning, these are still practical reminders for Christians today.
FAITH LESSON
Do we ever stop and consider with godly reverence what would happen if God had not granted us our skills, our job, our health to work, or our regular income?
When things are going well, we tend to forget God and neglect Him.
But rest assured, when things go wrong, we are right there pleading with Him to make things right.
Why not simply acknowledge God today for His blessings.
Moses' words to the Israelites remind us that everything comes from God. Just like our pets wait on us to feed them, so too we receive God's graciousness in this area of our lives.
REFLECTION
Am I thankful to God for my employment?
Am I thankful to God for my ability to make money?
Am I thankful to God for my health that permits me to work and earn?
SHARING
What are your personal implications for this reminder? Share in the comments.
END
Author: Jerry S., Pastor, OLBC
Author Bio: Jerry is a bi-vocational missionary pastor-teacher and practical theology advocate in the Philippines, with a wide range of experience and education ranging from bachelor to doctorate degrees in various fields, who writes articles, blogs, devotions, e-books, academic papers, and more.
Photo by Alexander Mils on Unsplash
