By Zachary B. Williams,
How much time have we spent praying, working, hoping, struggling, crying, and waiting for what has already been given? The reality is that much of a believer’s life is spent laboring for what has already been paid for and is now ours to possess.
Such is the case in Deuteronomy 6; this story, in every way, is the story of humanity. They are unrighteous people saved by a righteous God; they are not saved out of obligation but as a consequence of sanctification, which is defined as being “set apart.” Sounds familiar, right? At the beginning of Chapter 6, Moses tells those he had been called to lead about a place prepared for seemingly unprepared people: Canaan. He tells the people that this land is a place of unparalleled provision, but there is a prerequisite: they must remember the commandments. This is not just a suggestion but a responsibility we should take seriously. I think it is worth mentioning that God knew what kind of people he was dealing with; he knew that his people were easily influenced and that they would succumb to convenience, and their constant desire to do that which was convenient would cause them to abandon the commandments, thus causing them to forget God. Nonetheless, God, in verses 10 and 11, goes on to tell them how he will allow them to drink from wells they did not dig, eat from trees they did not plant, and live a life full of possessing provisions that do not require them to labor, but they must remember the commandments, and they cannot forget about God. Isn’t that so much like our story? Humanity is the only creation God created to look like him and the only creation that does not adhere to him. However, failing to adhere to a sovereign God is to commit to a life of unnecessary labor, thus forfeiting the promise. He only requires us to remember what he said and never forget who he is; that is how we Possess the Promise.