25 February | EVERYONE
“And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.” Deuteronomy 28:13
Moses stood in excitement, looking at the plain. In the distance, the sun lit up the afternoon. With his eyes closed, he imagined the lands teeming with life on the other side of the Jordan, the majestically shadowed trees, the beautiful hills, the orchards, the hills, and the valleys. That lush landscape was part of the land promised by God to His people. In addition to the promise of a new land, there was also the promise that Israel would achieve much prosperity.
Many of God's promises are conditional, but only because you are free to decide whether to enjoy them or not. This is one of them. The promise involved victory and prosperity, which was what he meant by being "head and not the tail," and being "above and not beneath." But reaping that achievement required following the steps that God indicated, hence the conditionality.
The people always demanded the fulfillment of the promises but forgot to fulfill the condition, and the result was sad. The Babylonian Empire came one day, razed the city of Jerusalem, and took the young Hebrews captive. The lands were left desolate and sad. The ground wept for its dead, and the captive people wept in a strange land. “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion” (Psalm 137:1).
God's promises are faithful because God is faithful. He never fails! But many of His promises come with a condition based on respecting our will. It is not, therefore, extortion. Nor is it a kind of negotiation between God and human beings. The promise is simply the description of the future of those who agree to live an experience of love and obedience with God.
Take Action
If life is not smiling at you right now, lift your eyes to heaven and look to the God of promises. He loves you and will make you see the intangible reality of joy behind tangible suffering. Sing "The Lord Will Make You the Head" (if possible, with your family).