May 12

What Was In Your Heart . . .

"Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these 40 years to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with Manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known." Deut. 8:2-3

Have you stopped to wonder why the Lord has placed certain trials in your life? Have you wondered what is the purpose of all this heartache? The Lord gives us a clue in this text that is directed to the Israelites of old who were wondering the very same things. The two things that jumped off the page at me were these: first, to humble you and second, to find out what is in your hearts. What is the purpose of being humbled? What benefit does it have? When I stop to think about that question, I find there are some very good and valid reasons for me to be humbled. God wants me to be dependent on Him. He wants me to let go of being in control and to let Him have full reign in my life. If you remember the story of the Israelites and their wanderings, it is full of times where they were destitute, with no food and no water. In their desperation, they pleaded with the Lord and he gave them miracle after miracle: manna each morning, water from rocks, etc. When our resources are drained, and we have finally come to the place where the Lord is all we have to depend upon, it is then that we realize that the Lord has brought us to this desert to get us out of the way. When we fully surrender to him, we experience his incredible power in ways we had never dreamed of when we were in control.

The second reason is to test us. He says, "I bring you through the desert to test you in order to know what was in your heart." Our heart is what he is really after, and it is only through testing that he can find out what our hearts are made of. Next time we find ourselves in the desert, let's not forget these words, but let us remind ourselves that when we are at the bottom, God will raise us up! All we need to do is watch for the miracles that he will perform, the greatest one being the transformation of our hearts.

Father, help me to see Your hand in all of life’s experiences. I know that my pride often gets in the way of what You want to do in my life. Help me to learn to be dependent on You so that I might taste Your heavenly mercies. Thank You for the miracles that You have bestowed on me, especially the miracle of a transformed heart. May my heart grow more and more like Yours that You might be glorified! Amen