How to remember, in all our rush, where our blessing comes from

By Dean Collins

When it comes to taking credit, what we say in our hearts is of the same importance as what we say out loud to others.

At least that’s what Moses told the Israelites during his instructions as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.  The warning Moses gave had to do with who would get credit for defeating the enemies in the land they were soon to possess.

Moses had experienced enough conversations with God to know what God thought about pride and humility. Moses was clear that the victory didn’t have anything to do with Israel being good enough: “Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going to possess their land,” he told his people. God was honoring the promises he made decades earlier. He was also bringing justice to some who had been wicked.

Just in case some still thought they had anything to do with their victories, Moses reminded them that they were in fact a very stubborn people!  They were so stubborn that even after they experienced God’s blessings, Moses literally had to lay face down before the Lord to beg that God would not destroy them for their arrogant disobedience.

Saying it in your heart, keeping it in your heart

As I read the sermon Jesus preached in Luke 6, the problem with saying something in your heart is that before you know it, your thought may very well make it to your mouth and to the ear of another.  After an agriculture lesson on fruit trees and how fig trees don’t have thorns and grapes don’t grow with brambles, Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

If we fill our hearts and minds with the goodness, grace, and love of God, then the fruit of humility, kindness, and mercy will grow. And with the fruit of the Spirit growing in us, we will be far less likely to take credit for what God does in our lives.  The self-induced long-suffering of the wilderness wandering had produced an ungrateful and prideful heart in some of the Israelites.  So as Moses was preparing God’s people for the future, he wanted to make sure they remembered and taught their history properly. 

Creating space and time to remember God

When we go through long seasons of difficulty, it is important to continue to create space and time to reflect on God’s presence and his gifts to us.  As long as we are living there will be evidence of God’s love and gifts each day.  They will not always be big gifts as the world measures success, but the gift of daily life, daily bread, a cup of water, or a place to sleep are all gifts we can celebrate because of God’s goodness to us.

God’s faithfulness is so much greater than we notice. His love, his grace, and his mercy are new every day. Sometimes I think we forget to thank God simply because we don’t slow down long enough to have a conversation with our Father in Heaven.

Father, today we want to stop our rushing. We pause to breathe the air you have provided with the lungs you created. We open our eyes to notice the beauty of creation which you gave us for our enjoyment. We thank you for the gift of salvation and for the family of God where you have placed us. We ask that your Holy Spirit sow seeds of love and mercy in us that we might fully produce fruit that blesses those around us. Forgive us for our stubborn and ungrateful moments. As we live today, we pray your Spirit would guide us to someone we might help and encourage today so that they might see you at work in their world as well. We commit to sharing how your story has changed our stories forever.  You are our deliverer and our refuge. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your time with God’s Word
Deuteronomy‬ ‭9‬:‭4‬-‭7‬, ‭25‬-‭29; Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭43‬-‭45‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Photo by mauro mora on Unsplash

To receive daily posts delivered directly to your inbox, complete the form at the bottom of our home page.

Dean Collins

Pastor, campus minister, counselor, corporate employee, Fortune 500 consultant, college president—Dean brings a wide range of experiences and perspectives to his daily walk with God’s Word. 

In 1979 he founded Auburn Christian Fellowship, a nondenominational campus ministry that still thrives today. In 1989 he founded and became executive director for New Directions Counseling Center, a service that grew to include several locations and counselors. In 1996 he became vice president of human resources for the CheckFree Corporation (3,000 employees) till founding DC Consulting in 1999. He continues part-time service with that company, offering executive leadership coaching, organizational effectiveness advice, and help with optimizing business relationships.

His latest pursuit, president of Point University since 2006 (interim president 2006-2009), has seen the college grow in enrollment, curriculum, physical campus, and athletic offerings. He led the school’s 2012 name change and relocation from Atlanta Christian College, East Point, Georgia, to Point University in West Point, Georgia. Meanwhile, he serves as board member or active volunteer with several nonprofits addressing issues ranging from global immunization to local government and education. 

He lives in Lanett, Alabama, with his wife, Penny. He has four children (two married) and five grandchildren. He plays the guitar, likes to cook, and enjoys getting outdoors, often on a nearby golf course. 

Previous
Previous

‘Pure in heart,’ a standard for our times, a challenge for our lives

Next
Next

Let’s share the details of God’s part in our stories. Here’s why