Living the “Good Life”
Deuteronomy 8:1-20
One evening a couple of weeks ago Cathy and I were
sitting on our screened porch taking in the sights and sounds of our
backyard. It was one of the few sunny,
warm evenings we’ve had this spring. The
birds were still singing. The pink weigela bushes were in full bloom. The grass was a lush deep emerald green
because of all the rain we’ve been having.
When we first moved there 21 years ago there were only two small trees
on the property. Now our backyard and
our neighbor’s yards are filled with some 40 foot tall trees providing shade
and shelter for the birds and squirrels.
We sat there taking in all that beauty and began to wonder – why have we
been so blessed to live where we do, why is our life so good.
That got me thinking about this whole idea of the
“good life.” Just what is the “good
life?” What do you think? What is the “good life?”
Some of you might remember that Lending Tree
commercial on TV where this guy comes on the screen with this big smile on his
face and he says, “Hi! I’m Stanley Johnson.
I’ve got a great family. I’ve got
a four bedroom house in a great community.
Like my car? It’s new! I even belong to the local golf club. How do I do it? I’m in debt up to my eyeballs!”
In our
American culture today many people equate the good life with material
possessions and money – a nice house, a new car, leisure time and the money
– or the credit - to enjoy it. That’s the
good life.
Interestingly, God
promised the people of
The book of Deuteronomy is the last book of the
Pentateuch – the first five books of the Bible – the books which tell the story
of the beginnings of the Jewish people, their exodus from slavery in
If you look carefully, you’ll find that at the end of
the fourth book, the book of Numbers, the people are located on the “plains of
Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho” (Numbers 36:13b) And at the end of the book of Deuteronomy
they are at the same place – they haven’t moved. Deuteronomy is a pause in the journey; time
Moses took to remind the people once more of the requirements for entering and
possessing the land, the requirements of the covenant they had made with God. Deuteronomy concludes Moses’ leadership of
the people – he dies at the end – and it initiates the transfer of leadership
to Joshua who would lead them into the Promised Land. In contrast to the matter-of-fact statements
of Leviticus and Numbers, in Deuteronomy the words of Moses come from his heart
as he tried to impress God’s claims upon the people. This morning I want you to hear some of his
words – words from Deuteronomy chapter 8.
(READ DEUTERONOMY 8)
The Israelites were about to go from the desert into
a land of plenty; from meals made from manna everyday for 40 years to meals of
figs and pomegranates, meals made with wheat and barley, olive oil and honey; a
land where they would lack for nothing.
They were about to enter the good life which God had promised and, in
fact, desired for them.
But Moses had to tell them that this promised good
life they were about to enter had some dangers, had a cost, and came with some responsibility. The danger was that, in their enjoyment of the
good life in
Today and next Sunday I want to focus on three
questions the Bible presents to us about money and possessions (those things we
often equate to the good life): How did you get it? What are you doing with it? And what is it doing to you? (Philip Yancey, A Surefire Investment, www.christianitytoday.com/ct,
Moses was really addressing those questions here in
Deuteronomy 8. He said it something like
this: remember who is the giver of this life you are about to inherit; use this
good life God is giving you to be his people in the world and fulfill your part
of the covenant; and be careful, all the good things God has given you also
have the potential to turn you away from God.
Today I will focus on the first one: How did you get
it? Next Sunday we’ll consider the other
two: What are you doing with it? And
what is it doing to you?
Let’s face it – we’re a blessed people. We have been fortunate to be born in a land
of plenty. Most of us have been
fortunate to be born into good families, to get a good education, to have jobs,
to have most of the material blessings that come with living where we
live. Even the poorest among us have
more than most others in the world.
Can you imagine what it was like for the
Israelites? After wandering in the
desert for 40 years, they were going into to a land of plenty, “a land with streams and pools of water,
with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley,
vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will
not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where rocks are iron and you
can dig copper out of the hills.” Quite a change from a measure of manna for the day – and two
measures over the Sabbath – and the heat and dryness of the desert. The good life was about to be theirs.
But that good
life came with these words of caution: don’t forget who gave it to you - “…when you eat and are satisfied, when you
build fine houses and settle down, and when your heard and flocks grow large
and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied…” – when
all this happens, don’t forget who gave it to you.
When your pantry closets and your refrigerators and
freezers are full, when you have a four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath house,
when it’s filled with all the latest technologies and conveniences, when your
bank accounts are growing – don’t forget who gave it to you.
When all this happens, Moses said, we might be
tempted to think, “My power and the
strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” There’s going to be this temptation to believe
I did it all – it’s all about me.
(Contemporary – show “It’s
All About Me” video clip)
Now if it weren’t true that when things go well for
us we start to feel pretty good about ourselves – I made some good investments,
I have all this stuff, I deserve that vacation to Hawaii or wherever because
I’ve worked so hard – (if weren’t true, then that video might be funny.) If it weren’t true that we’re susceptible to
the temptation to think “My power and the strength of my hands” did it all,
then Moses wouldn’t have even mentioned it.
Then the Bible probably wouldn’t have so much to say about things like money
or counting the cost or avoiding the temptations that come with wealth. The truth is, when things go well for us, we can
easily forget where it all came from and be deceived into thinking it was the
power of our hands which did it all.
We have this mistaken notion that when we’re
comfortable, living without danger or hardship, we can pursue and serve God
better. And yet it works in just the
opposite way. Nothing is more difficult than to remember God when we’re comfortable. When we have all this stuff, it’s too easy to
forget.
This past week at Praise Band practice Bev Snyder and I were talking about the experience her
daughter Becca had in
It’s been said that the pilgrims made seven times
more graves than huts…yet they set aside a day of thanksgiving. Pastor and author, Bob Russell, said, “It is
a rare person who, when his cup frequently runs over, can thank God instead of
complaining about the limited size of his mug!
“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for
the good land he has given you. Be
careful that you do not forget the Lord your God…
Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine
houses and settle down, [when you accumulate lots of stuff and your bank
accounts are growing] and all you have is multiplied, then
your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God…” (Deuteronomy
8:10-14 excerpts & paraphrased) Be
careful.
Psalm 24:1 says: The
earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. (Psalm 24:1-2 NIV)
Everything
Moses said in Deuteronomy 8 affirms what the Psalmist says. Moses reminded the Israelites that it was God
who was doing all this for them: leading them and providing for them on their
journey through the wilderness; humbling and testing them to teach them there
are things more important than “bread;” it was God who was giving them this
land; it was God bringing them into the land; it was God who would provide all
the bounty of the land; it was God who would give them the ability to grow
wealth in this new land.
“The earth is the Lords and everything in it…” The Psalmist is speaking to us as
well. That screened porch, those flowers
and trees, that house at
If you’ve ever had to dispose of the
belongings of a loved one who has passed away, the reality that what we have is
really only ours to use for a time becomes exceedingly clear. You take bags and boxes of clothing to the
Salvation Army or Jubilee Ministries, clothing which someone else will now have
the opportunity to use for a time. Maybe
you arrange for an auction for a house, furniture, tools, vehicles and other household
items –someone else will now have the use of those things. Money which remained in accounts is now
distributed to beneficiaries or charities so others have use of it. It was someone’s to use while they were here
– on loan from God – and now someone else will be blessed by God through the
use of what he has provided.
But let’s take that one step
further. Listen to that first verse of
Psalm 24 once more. “The
earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…” “And all who live in it…” That means that I am not my own, but I – and
you and everyone else who lives on this earth – we’re all God’s.
If we understand and believe that “the earth is the Lord’s and
everything in it,” how we see the world around us, how we see ourselves and
other people, and how we use what we’ve been given will be entirely different
from the mindset which says “my strength and the power of my hands” have given
me all this.
Have you ever loaned something
to someone – maybe a tool or an appliance – and it was returned to you broken
or with parts missing? Maybe you got a
little angry? When you loan something,
you do so trusting the other person will take care of it and return it to you
in the same condition in which you lent it, don’t you?
We hear a lot today about “going
green.” A day has been set aside to draw
our attention to care of the earth – Earth Day in May. One of the big issues today is global warming
– is it man-made or not? All politics
aside, our faith clearly teaches us “the earth is the Lord’s.” If we understand
and believe “the earth is the Lord’s…the world and all who live in it” then we
have an obligation to use God’s creation responsibly while we are here, we are
to respect its Maker by sharing the resources he’s provided with all the
creatures he created.
The earth is the Lord’s, given for
our use to sustain our lives and to be managed in such a way that, when we are
finished with it, we are passing it on to future generations in such a way that
they also will experience the goodness of its maker. It’s not ours to abuse and to destroy. God has provided abundantly for us and he
expects us to manage what he has provided so that all his creation benefits.
The words of Moses here in
Deuteronomy 8 are so relevant to our life today as materially comfortable
people. One of the reasons Christianity
is declining in the West is that, as a culture, we’re too comfortable to need
God. Life is good. We have comfortable homes, dependable public services, most of us live in safety. Yet we think the world is coming to an end when
our retirement account loses 40% of its value, or the value of our home falls
to the point where we no longer have any equity in it.
In an interview he did for Time
Magazine at the height of the current economic crisis, Phillip Yancey said,
“The same week that global wealth shrank by $7 trillion,
Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3
when he was being tempted by the Devil: “people do not live on bread alone but on
every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” The reality is this: the “good life” isn’t more stuff.
More stuff just increases the likelihood that we will forget – we
will forget the creator God who has given us all we have – even the ability to
create wealth (did you catch that in verse 18 – “for it is he [God] who gives
you the ability to produce wealth”).
Even if you have been able to manage well what God has provided you’ve
only been able to do so by the abilities God has given you. It all is because of what God has done. It’s not about me.
The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who
live in it... Living the good life
is not accumulating more stuff. The “good life” is experienced in
recognizing God’s provision and care; in worship, obedience and service; in
using God’s gifts for his purposes.
Yes, part of the good life is enjoying what God has
provided for you. But enjoying what we
have been given – whether a little or a lot – begins with the realization that,
whatever we have, it is all a gift from our Creator God. God is the provider and the care giver. From that realization then flows a spirit worship – of thanks and praise to God for whatever
he has given us.
We live the “good life” when we
seek to live in obedience to God’s moral law and use the gifts he has given us
for his purposes and for his glory. (More on that next Sunday.)
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day
they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
3 They have no
speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice [b] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for
the sun,
5 which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his
course.
6 It rises at one
end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7 The law of the
LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of
the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the
LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure,
and all of them are righteous.
10 They are more
precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your
servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:1-11 TNIV)
Let us not forget – the earth is
the Lord’s and everything and everybody in it.
Let us not forget, the good life isn’t the accumulation of money and
possessions, but it’s living in God’s presence, enjoying what he has provided
for us – no matter what - and in living in obedience to his will.
© 2009,