“Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.” (Deuteronomy 6:3)
God was promising his homeless children a dream come true: to take possession of their own fertile, beautiful, perfect country. But the gift came with an “if.” “It’s yours for as long as you keep following me.” That didn’t turn out to be for very long.
Israel’s history is a road map of human nature. God proved a point in giving Israel chance after chance after chance to be faithful to him. He would graciously allow her enemies to conquer her, then wait for her to repent, then bring her home and bless her and let her try again.
But humans are stubborn. Even with a perfect God offering huge prosperity and peace and every good gift, we eventually turn against him. Our restless hearts are full of sin and self. To ever truly have a successful relationship with God, we would need a savior to come and change us from the inside out.
And that’s exactly what the God who loves Israel—and all of us—made possible when he sent his Son to earth.
Think: Do you think we needed evidence that we would not follow God even in the best of circumstances? Are you convinced that human beings are born naturally broken and sinful and selfish, or do you think we’re all basically good?
Pray: Thank God for his good promises to Israel and to all of us. Thank him for sending Jesus to pay for our sin and make it possible for our hearts to be changed from the inside out.
Do: Listen this week for statements from people suggesting that humans are basically good or basically not good.