Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The ITCH!

[from May 17, 2010]

"Because you did not serve the LORD your God joyfully & with gladness of heart for the abundance of everything, therefore..."
(Deuteronomy 28:47)

Disaster.  Panic.  Pestilence.  Fever.  Inflammation.  Mildew.  Boils.  Ulcers.  Scurvy.  The itch.  Madness.  Blindness.  Confusion.  Robbed.  Abused.  Cuckolded.  Bereft.  These are just a few of the repercussions for NOT obeying God, says Deuteronomy 28.  (It's actually quite a foreboding list!  And probably the source of the idea that if things are going wrong in your life, it's due to your sin!)

But it's verse 47 that really grabbed my attention.  The people didn't serve God JOYFULLY and WITH GLADNESS OF HEART "for the abundance of everything."  Since "small kid time," we've been reminded (especially by our moms!) to be thankful.  Here, however, that's taken to a new level.  God has blessed us with abundance!  Look around.  All of us living in the USA have abundance - whether we feel "wealthy" or not.  But are our hearts glad because of it?  Are we joyful?

If the answer is no... we've been warned!  (We don't want to mess with "the itch!")

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