Proper 12: Old Testament, Deuteronomy 7:6-9

I love this passage. I don't know how anyone who has heard of the God of Israel, and by His grace and mercy alone resides in His salvation, couldn’t love this passage. It’s that wonderful. Think of the person on earth you love the most. Yes, you have to pick. And multiply that love infinitely. And whatever the product of that equation, that is the love of God toward the nation Israel in this passage, and by extension the Church of Jesus Christ. If you’re thinking that you could never, ever get your mind around that, you are correct.

Now ask yourself, “How wonderful is this knowledge? This truth? This love?”

God removes all possible pretense that Israel has earned their place in the heart of God.”The LORD your God has chosen you to be his treasured possession, out of all peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Deut. 7:6b). And God’s love is tied to His faithfulness to His promise. HIS faithfulness. Not theirs. The flavor of God’s love for His people is sweet beyond all tasting. And if you belong to Him then you should be constantly overwhelmed by that truth. Alas, none of us ponder this thundering love nearly enough. Perhaps eternity will not hold enough unending ticks of the clock for such meditation. But I do have one small suggestion: start now.