Deuteronomy 28:65-66 Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. 66 You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life.
There seems to be a rise in despair in our country, no matter the political affiliation. There has been a rise in reported cases of depression and anxiety. More pills are given than you can imagine. If you had a penny for every one, you would be a very rich person.
Now I haven’t lived at any other time than the present. I can’t go back in history and experience the level of anxiety and depression that was experienced in previous centuries. And there have been centuries that seem from reading about them, there was a much greater reason for these downward emotions.
And my life is not so long that I have not gone through any world wars. But the turmoil in our world, especially in the last couple of years of the not-to-be-named sickness, has been unprecedented. The seizure of control by governments of their populations, their activities and economies, is outrageous. No wonder our world is topsy turvy.
I am wondering if this rise in anxiety and depression is the result of our abandonment of the LORD in our lives. I mean this with all sincerity. The speed at which we have left the foundations of our faith is astonishing. There is now a sharp divide between those who hold to moral grounding and those who espouse drifting in the wind.
Our text is part of the “curse” section of Moses’ final charge to the Israelites. Its corresponding “blessings” outlined what would happen if Israel stayed true to the LORD. This “curse” section outlines what will happen when the people abandon the LORD and follow false gods and worship idols. This small section speaks about what will happen when judgement in the form of exile comes to Israel as a result of their failure of faith.
I read these words and wonder why anyone would want these results! I feel these curses in my bones as I read. Why would anyone choose to be in a foreign country without rest and safety! But the restlessness is not just external; the turmoil of their external world as a result of their rebellion will be inside their hearts and souls as well.
It is one thing to be in a tumultuous external situation but still have an internal peace. I have been in these types of situations before. The outside was chaos, but my mind and heart were at peace. This made the eternal turmoil bearable, knowing that it was a temporary turmoil, one allowed by the LORD.
But to have external turmoil with no internal peace would be unbearable. And that is what the LORD promises His people if they turn away from Him when they take possession of the Land He has promised. And they can make a choice to avoid these negative consequences. Remember that! It is their choice that brings these things on them.
I like to think about the LORD’s judgment this way. When the LORD protects, good things are the rule. But when His people reject Him, He removes His shield of protection, and the natural consequences of their actions come raining down. When He shields, the evil that could come is deflected. When He removes the shield, the evil is on its way.
The Fall has consequences. The LORD can protect His people from the consequences of the Fall. But He can allow the consequences to come. And He gives us the ability to stay in His protective cover or go out on our own.
Which would you choose? Protection or full exposure?
The Arnold Journey 