God had Chile in Mind


Deuteronomy 8:6-11

6 Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. 7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills;


8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegran
ates, olive oil and honey;


9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing;

a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills10

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.

One of the great things about being a foreigner in a country is that you observe things about that country that those who live there overlook. I still marvel at beauty of this country, at the snow capped mountain range that runs the length of the country, the world's driest desert in the north, and the breathtaking fjords in the far south. I daily enjoy the abundance of fruits and vegetables year round, fresh bread on every corner with every meal, and the warmth of sitting in someone's house for tea time as they treat you with way more love and honor than you feel like you deserve. Chile is a blessed country, with natural resources abounding and wonderful, hospitable people. I notice these things, because as an outsider you see the things that locals don't. You are grateful for things that are second nature to them and as a consequence, overlooked.

That's why when I read this verse I thought of Chile. It speaks of abundant agriculture, rolling brooks, and and minerals such as copper that they would be able to mine. This describes Chile! They have so many copper reserves that as a nation they have no debt! Are you kidding, no DEBT? What does God ask in return? "Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him". That's it. In light of all God gives us, he simply asks us to obey him and revere him, just to be thankful for all He has done for us! Sometimes we forget or overlook God's goodness in our lives, to the detriment of our own spiritual well being. Sometimes is just takes an "outsider" coming in and saying and pointing out what we've known all along, and to remind us that we have so much for which to be thankful. So, as an outsider to your life and your reality, what good things are you overlooking in the midst of life? Let me encourage you to look up and realize how faithful God has been and all the good things He has done for us!

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