Your God?

Know this: God , your God, is God indeed, a God you can depend upon. He keeps his covenant of loyal love with those who love him and observe his commandments for a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7:9 MSG

First of all, I must clear from my head and heart any thought of worthiness or merit. Sin dealt with that mentality. We could not plead our works, we could not plead our sincerity, because all these had been tainted by sin. So, from the start, anything I am today isn't so much about who I am or what I do, but on who God is. No wonder today's extract starts with an introduction of who this God is: he is God, no doubt, but has he become 'your' God? Is he my God? Have I surrendered totally to his will, power, wisdom and work?

God will always remain true, but what I get from him will depend on me. The people being addressed here weren't there when God covenanted with Abraham, but they and their children enjoyed the benefits of that covenant. It wasn't as if these people loved God so deeply, but they only enjoyed the benefits of a God who could be trusted to keep his promises.

That is God; what about me? What is expected? Today's extract says it all: I must love God and observe his commandments. Sounds ordinary, but that is the secret of a successful life, as defined by God. If it was so simple, why do we have so much rebellion against God today? It simply means that the grace to know, love and obey God isn't something you earn by works or looks, but by grace. This grace has been released to all men, and an account will be given of what each man did with what he received. His time of favour is here.