Deuteronomy 8:6-18

Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. 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; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 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 hills.

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 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. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

These words were spoken by Moses to the generation that would enter the Promised Land, and they remain a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness and provision. In a society marked by abundance, it’s easy to forget that we are merely stewards of the Father’s gifts.

God not only gives us the ability to provide and produce, but through His Spirit, He equips us with the gifts we need to lead our students well. Many of us have most of what we need—and even many things we want—but let us never forget that it is not by the power or strength of our own hands that we live, work, and flourish. It is only by God’s grace.

Prayer

Thank you Father for your many gifts. You have given us an abundance. Help us not to forget the Giver, and help us to remind those around us that every good and perfect gift is from above.