(Deuteronomy 10:15)
Who are the people above all people? To whom the Lord is their praise, their God, and their delight. A people who have known the chastisements of His hand, along with His greatness, His mighty acts, His stretched out arm, and His miracles. The people to whom have circumcised the foreskin of their hearts and have not pulled away their shoulders nor stiffened their necks.
A people that have walked in the fear of the Lord and have loved Him and served Him with all of their hearts and soul. Those to whom have delighted to keep His commandments and walk in His statutes. His judgments and precepts are their strength.
The very reason that they are strong and go into the land to possess it and prolong their days is because they know that He has sworn unto them a land that flows with milk and honey. A land with water and has a garden of herbs. A place that drinks the rains of heaven. A land which the Lord Himself takes care of. His eyes are always upon it.
Yes this people have more than a promise from their God. For He has sworn an oath, to multiply, and to bless them for their unwavering loyalty. They have the immutability of His counsel which He confirmed by lifting His own arm and swearing by the integrity of His righteousness. Their trust is in Him. And why shouldn’t it be so? For He is always true to His word. Not one of all His good promises have ever failed them. For they know that all they have to do is be patient and wait. For many times has He renewed their strength. May times has He renewed their hearts.
Looking back I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging for bread. The way I’ve always remembered it is that He has lifted up His people and have set them on high. He has caused them to be the head and not the tail. They have always ended up being on top and not the bottom.It reminds me of a story that I once heard of about a farmer who grew potatoes. He would drive his wagon to town and at the market he would always get the best price of a load of potatoes. There was always someone waiting for his arrival while there would almost be a fight for who would get to buy them.
What a beautiful load they were! The biggest always seemed to be on the top. One man said to him, “Do you always load your potatoes with the large ones on the top?” The old farmer said, “No son we just load them in the wagon and the rough ride to town always causes the big tators to rise to the top.” That’s when I realized that the Lord was using this journey, with all of its unlevelings, potholes and bumps, to cause the big ones to always rise to the top!
