Thursday, May 23, 2019

We're Set In This Promised Land

They shall besiege you at all your gates until your high and fortified walls, in which you trust, come down throughout all your land; and they shall besiege you at all your gates throughout all your land which the LORD your God has given you. Deuteronomy 28:52

We might get stuck on finding out who 'they' is, but it doesn't matter so much. We believe in Jesus and in this world we are besieged. If we trust in our walls, our accomplishments, stuff we have, talents we think will last, and other worldly things, we are going to be facing a tough siege that can only end with our defeat. If we trust in the Lord our God though, He has already overcome this world.

There is here also a lesson in complacency. Once Israel was set and secure behind their walls in the land the Lord had given them, they might have fallen into that complacency trap regarding their thoughts and intentions, even their behavior. We too might think that salvation is the wall which removes all restraint for us to act and think in righteous ways. Imagine the distress of our Good Shepherd as he looks back at the 99 in His stable and finds them butting heads instead of loving one another. He has already overcome the world, hopefully He can also overcome us.

Once we were that lost lamb and Jesus saved us. We also know that as we await the arrival of each and every lost one before the Lord takes us all home, we have a distance to travel with Him along the road of sanctification. There is some head butting in the church; there are thoughts of the flesh that have not yet been cleansed away, and we fear when we ought to be secure in our Lord Jesus. Knowing that, we are not set in complacency in that promised land but must look to the Finisher of our faith to revive us again.

Love one another,
Bucky

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