“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.”(Deut. 7:9)
The Lord God Almighty made a covenant with Israel. He would bless and protect them and enable them to become holy, to keep themselves free from idolatry and sin. God would remain steadfast and true to this covenant although the people of Israel failed and fell into idolatry. When they entered the Promised Land, they encountered pagan peoples and their false gods. The pagan idols were a constant temptation because they were less demanding than the Lord and worship of them permitted sexual immorality and sensual indulgence. Generation after generation, the people of God turned their back on Him and compromised with evil, worshipped false gods. They thought this lifestyle promised comfort and pleasure, but, as they realized, it brought them grief, judgment, and exile.
Here we find an important lesson for our own spiritual life. The Lord reminds us that as we live our lives from day to day, we must constantly recall who He is. God is love. He shows His loving-kindness by pouring out His blessings on undeserving people. As we recall this, our faith is strengthened. Our trust in Him increases. In the midst of the battles of life we can rejoice to know that the Lord is Almighty. He constantly demonstrates His lovingkindness in the world and in our faith.
Such a truth sharply contrasts with the capricious unpredictability and emptiness of idols whatever form they now take. We face such idols daily through the all pervasive media. These idols tempt us to sin and compromise but also to give way to fear and doubt as we have seen over the past few years as the media and government fill us with alarm and dread about climate change and the pandemic. Why trust them? Who is like our God? Who can we depend upon with absolute assurance to carry us safely through the tribulations of our times?
In order to resist such temptations, we must remember who the Lord is as well as what He has done for us and for His people. We must daily commune with Him in His word and in prayer. As we read and meditate on that Word and pray, the Lord guides us safely. In this way our faith grows and we become better able to resist the attacks of Satan. Yet even though we fail the Lord He is with us to forgive and lift us up so that we may enjoy the victory He has won for us over sin and death. We gain eternal life and peace through faith in Jesus alone.