Deuteronomy 31

"Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them. 20 When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their forefathers, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant. 21 And when many disasters and difficulties come upon them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath." 22 So Moses wrote down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.

When they have eaten their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them. Recently I shared a testimony at my church about my Philippines trip. I stated that in comparison to the many poor people I visited in the Philippines, people in America, well at least the ones I see, don’t need God. We are self sufficient and thriving. We have all eaten our fill and continue to do so every day.

We have food to eat in plenty, warm clothes to wear, roof over our head, hot running water, comfortable bed, and we have an assortment of entertainment options at our disposal. What need do we have for God!?

God said he knows his people, when they have enough they become complacent and lazy. “I know what they are disposed to do”, he says. The Israelites when lost and wondering in the desert relied on God and called out to him for their needs. For manna when they were hungry, water from rocks when they were thirsty, for direction when they were lost. But as soon as they reach the Promised Land, a place flowing with milk and honey, they turn to other gods.

The story of the Israelites wandering in the desert is an allegory of us today. We may not turn to actual physical idols, but instead we turn to sexual immorality, laziness, hoarding of wealth, accomplishments, drugs, you name them.

Even good things can become idols of worship in our lives. Our own children, they are such a sweet, rich blessing, but when parents start to live their own lives through their kids and start putting unrealistic expectations on them, twisting them with their own pathologies, then that sweet blessing can become tainted.