Deuteronomy 7:6 The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.
Some people are hard to shop for because they have everything they want. God is the owner of everything, so there’s nothing we can give him that he doesn’t already have—except our hearts. When a sinner gives their heart to God, God is so enriched that the sinner becomes his treasured possession. This is another way of saying that nobody values you more than God.
I was six years old when my dad made a slingshot, and gave it to me as a gift. He cut a branch from a tree and whittled it smooth. Then he attached two strips of rubber and a leather pouch. It fit my hand perfectly and made me feel dangerous! I carried my slingshot everywhere and, for a while, it was my treasured possession. Then, one day, I put it in my pocket and, when I got home, it was gone. I retraced my steps with tears, but it was never recovered.
Thankfully, that never happens to God. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand (John 10:28-29), said Jesus. All who belong to God through faith in Jesus Christ will be treasured by him forever. We are his treasured possessions.
Deuteronomy 8:3 [M]an does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
After fasting forty days, Jesus was hungrier than most people will ever be. But when the devil told him to satisfy his hunger by turning stones into bread, he quoted this verse to him (Matthew 4:4). From this we learn that it’s more important to feed our souls than it is to feed our bodies. If we have to choose between breakfast and the Bible, we should always choose the Bible. It’s better to have a full soul and an empty stomach, than to have a full stomach and an empty soul.
Getting through the Bible seems like a difficult task, but it’s not so hard if we read it daily. By reading a chapter of the Bible, almost every day, we can cover the whole Bible in under four years. If we do this repeatedly, we’ll probably read the Bible several times before we die.
Deuteronomy 8:4 Your clothes did not wear out . . . during these forty years.
Throughout their journey, God fed his people bread from heaven (Exodus 16:4), and gave them water from a rock (Exodus 17:6). These were clear and obvious miracles for everyone to see. But they may’ve overlooked a more subtle miracle. God was keeping their clothes from wearing out over the course of forty years.
When we get to heaven, we’ll likely discover some things God did for us that we didn’t notice at the time. Some miracles are obvious, others are only seen in hindsight. God is always doing more for us than we know at the time, and we should thank him daily. Thank you, Father, for your many acts of kindness, and forgive me for not noticing more of them.
Deuteronomy 10:16 . . . do not be stiff-necked any longer.
Several times throughout the Bible, God’s people are accused of being stiff-necked. The problem wasn’t medical, but a rebellious attitude. They were like animals that wouldn’t be guided by their owners.
Many years ago I rode a horse that was intent on going its own way. When I pulled to the right, it stiffened its neck. When I pulled to the left, it did the same. It even went under a low-hanging branch in order to knock me off. I didn’t like that horse at all.
A proper animal responds quickly to a tug on the reigns, and is a joy to its owner. We can’t be guided by God if we insist on our own way. Instead of being stiff-necked, we should learn pray like Christ: not my will, but yours be done (Luke 22:42).
Deuteronomy 14:1 You are the children of the Lord your God.
The Israelites were formerly slaves, and had been living in the desert forty years. In spite of their circumstances, Moses wanted them to know who they really were—dearly loved children of God. This is the highest possible status, and also the happiest. See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3:1), wrote John.
Few things affect our behavior more than what we think of ourselves. If we think we’re unloved, unlovely and unlovable—that’s how we’ll behave. But if we know that we’re dearly loved children of God, then we’ll live accordingly.
A king’s son behaved badly and did some things that made him feel ashamed. He confided in his father who offered some advice. No one is surprised when common people misbehave, because that’s what common people do. But if you remember that you’re royalty, then you’ll behave royally. Never forget who and whose you are. God also wants his children to have a clear identity so he tells us plainly, You are the children of the Lord your God.
Reflection and Review
Why are God’s people his treasured possession?
Why is it foolish to be stiff-necked?
Why does God tell us that we are his children?
Some people are hard to shop for because they have everything they want. God is the owner of everything, so there’s nothing we can give him that he doesn’t already have—except our hearts. When a sinner gives their heart to God, God is so enriched that the sinner becomes his treasured possession. This is another way of saying that nobody values you more than God.
I was six years old when my dad made a slingshot, and gave it to me as a gift. He cut a branch from a tree and whittled it smooth. Then he attached two strips of rubber and a leather pouch. It fit my hand perfectly and made me feel dangerous! I carried my slingshot everywhere and, for a while, it was my treasured possession. Then, one day, I put it in my pocket and, when I got home, it was gone. I retraced my steps with tears, but it was never recovered.
Thankfully, that never happens to God. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand (John 10:28-29), said Jesus. All who belong to God through faith in Jesus Christ will be treasured by him forever. We are his treasured possessions.
Deuteronomy 8:3 [M]an does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
After fasting forty days, Jesus was hungrier than most people will ever be. But when the devil told him to satisfy his hunger by turning stones into bread, he quoted this verse to him (Matthew 4:4). From this we learn that it’s more important to feed our souls than it is to feed our bodies. If we have to choose between breakfast and the Bible, we should always choose the Bible. It’s better to have a full soul and an empty stomach, than to have a full stomach and an empty soul.
Getting through the Bible seems like a difficult task, but it’s not so hard if we read it daily. By reading a chapter of the Bible, almost every day, we can cover the whole Bible in under four years. If we do this repeatedly, we’ll probably read the Bible several times before we die.
Deuteronomy 8:4 Your clothes did not wear out . . . during these forty years.
Throughout their journey, God fed his people bread from heaven (Exodus 16:4), and gave them water from a rock (Exodus 17:6). These were clear and obvious miracles for everyone to see. But they may’ve overlooked a more subtle miracle. God was keeping their clothes from wearing out over the course of forty years.
When we get to heaven, we’ll likely discover some things God did for us that we didn’t notice at the time. Some miracles are obvious, others are only seen in hindsight. God is always doing more for us than we know at the time, and we should thank him daily. Thank you, Father, for your many acts of kindness, and forgive me for not noticing more of them.
Deuteronomy 10:16 . . . do not be stiff-necked any longer.
Several times throughout the Bible, God’s people are accused of being stiff-necked. The problem wasn’t medical, but a rebellious attitude. They were like animals that wouldn’t be guided by their owners.
Many years ago I rode a horse that was intent on going its own way. When I pulled to the right, it stiffened its neck. When I pulled to the left, it did the same. It even went under a low-hanging branch in order to knock me off. I didn’t like that horse at all.
A proper animal responds quickly to a tug on the reigns, and is a joy to its owner. We can’t be guided by God if we insist on our own way. Instead of being stiff-necked, we should learn pray like Christ: not my will, but yours be done (Luke 22:42).
Deuteronomy 14:1 You are the children of the Lord your God.
The Israelites were formerly slaves, and had been living in the desert forty years. In spite of their circumstances, Moses wanted them to know who they really were—dearly loved children of God. This is the highest possible status, and also the happiest. See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3:1), wrote John.
Few things affect our behavior more than what we think of ourselves. If we think we’re unloved, unlovely and unlovable—that’s how we’ll behave. But if we know that we’re dearly loved children of God, then we’ll live accordingly.
A king’s son behaved badly and did some things that made him feel ashamed. He confided in his father who offered some advice. No one is surprised when common people misbehave, because that’s what common people do. But if you remember that you’re royalty, then you’ll behave royally. Never forget who and whose you are. God also wants his children to have a clear identity so he tells us plainly, You are the children of the Lord your God.
Reflection and Review
Why are God’s people his treasured possession?
Why is it foolish to be stiff-necked?
Why does God tell us that we are his children?