Famous and Renown

Deut 26:11 As you lay your offering of the first fruits before the Lord, you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house…

Devotional Thoughts

Today the Lord continues to challenge me with the theme of remembrance. In Deuteronomy 26:11 we see the command for the offering of the first fruits. This command was to remember, or commemorate entering the promised land and harvesting gardens they did not plant and fruit from trees they also did not plant. In the implementing of this celebration, it was another system to remind the people of Israel once again of the incredible goodness and the love of God for them. As they enjoyed fruit for which they did not labor, it should have caused them to be grateful and praise and thank God because it was all totally from Him.

David understood this when he wrote the words of Psalm 117:2 “Great is his steadfast love and his faithfulness endures forever.. NLT says, “His never ending, never failing love is powerful.”

As Robin and I talked about these verses, we discussed the fact that God does amazing things just because he loves us. In fact 99% of what He does for us we will never know or see. But He just does it all just because He loves us!

David continues with, “The Lord is on my side as my helper. (Ps 118:7-8) David probably pictured many military victories, and physical provision for the people of Israel etc. But, how has God been our helper? Here’s some verses to think about:

• Is 53:4-6 surely he bore my grief and sorrow. He was pierced for my sin, crushed for my iniquity. Upon him was the chastisement that brought me peace with God… (10) It was the will of God to crush him. Out of his anguish he made me righteous
• 2 Cor 5:21 He made Him (Jesus) to become sin, who knew no sin, so that in him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God.”
• Ps 118:8-9 it’s better to trust in the Lord than in people. It’s better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.

God’s desire was that Israel they would be famous and renown among all the nations of the world. (Deut 26:19) He wanted them to show case how great His love, faithfulness, provision and greatness was, if they would only followed him and obeyed what he said. But they didn’t, and they are not famous and renown today.

Did you know that God now desires the same of us as his spiritual people? Through us, God desires that God’s greatness, his wisdom, his plan of salvation etc to be made known. But, more than just earthly rulers, God wants us to be trophies that display His love and grace to “rulers and authorities IN THE HEAVENS.” (Eph 3:10-12)

Declarations

• The majority of what God is doing in my life is behind the scenes. When he allows me to see a glimpse of his handwork, I need to praise him, and proclaim it. Great is His steadfast love. (Ps 117:2)
• The Lord is my helper. He is always at my side! He secured salvation. He replaced who I was with Jesus Himself! (2 Cor 5:21) My life needs to be less of me and more of him
• It’s better to trust in God, than to trust people, or any earthly ruler/leader. That may mean trusting Jesus in my leader. (Ps 118:8-9)
• God’s desire for my life is to be famous and renown, not in myself, but in such a way that others see Him through my life. (Deut 26:19) I don’t want to be famous for the wrong reasons, like Israel was.