Be 4 Me

"Oh, you can go before of me in line."  It has been a very long time since I've heard those words or said them.  In the olden days, people in grocery stores checkout lines were more considerate about the people behind them.  If you had a whole cart full of groceries and the person behind had just a gallon of milk, many would let the one item shopper move ahead in line.  Now the stores have express lanes.  I've noticed that the criteria for express lane checkout has moved from 5 items, to 10, to 12, to 20.  Now we even practice justice with an icy stare for that person in the express lane with one item over the limit.  We try to use the explanation that 21 candy bars in the express lane is really just one item- candy bar.

I was reading Deuteronomy 9:4-6.  Three times God uses the phrase "before you." "After God has driven them out before you...God is going to drive them out before you....The Lord will drive them out before you..."

Just before the Israelites enter the other side of the Promised Land, God is reminding them not to take credit for God's work thinking they possess the Promised Land because of their righteousness.  He even adds that it is not because of their righteousness and integrity but because of the other nations' wickedness that the Israelites possess the Promised Land.  The Israelites will have the Promised Land because God keeps the promises He swore to Abraham and the forefathers.

In my paraphrase God is saying:  Don't take credit for His work.  Don't get big-headed.  God knows we like to add our rules so He repeats and tells me why.  We are stiff-necked!

It is not my righteousness. God decides what is wicked.  It is not my righteousness and integrity. God keeps His promises.  In spite of my stiff-neckedness, God gives abundantly.

Today I am reminded not to be so stiff-necked to show I follow "the rules."  It is not my righteousness and integrity that brings my abundant life.  It all comes from a faithful God.

 God is first, not me.  I am reminded to put God before me.