“But to this day the Lord has not given you minds that understand, nor eyes that see, nor ears that hear! For forty years I led you through the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out. You ate no bread and drank no wine or other alcoholic drink, but he provided for you so you would know that he is the Lord your God.” Deut 29:4-5
Before we dive into this verse, we need a little background information. Moses has gathered together all the Israelites for a time of reflection and final instructions before they conquer the promised land. All the people – except for Moses, Joshua and Caleb – have lived most of their lives in the wilderness. Egypt is a distant memory. There are some who have no memory of their time in Egypt or how God delivered them. So Moses reminds them of God’s laws, His faithfulness and divine providence – something they’ve failed to see time and time again.
Now back to Deut 29:4-5. Reading this verse, I think to myself: how could they NOT have seen! Miracles were floating through the air like dandelions in the wind and somehow they missed it? Then I realized the verse didn’t say they couldn’t see it, they just didn’t understand the significance of what they were seeing.
For years the Israelites experienced miracles they failed to see. For forty years they wore clothes that never faded (or ripped) without ever wondering how that was possible. Even their shoes didn’t show signs of wear; no broken straps, no holes, no nothing. Yet no one questioned the odds of that happening. Why was that?
It’s hard to understand how they could have not seen it. But then I realized how easy it is to not notice something when your mind is focused elsewhere. I’ve seen plenty of videos of people so engrossed in their phones that they’ve hurt themselves walking into ditches, other people or even poles. I’ve tripped over a curb or two myself, even though it was clearly visible. But that’s what being distracted means; you miss the obvious.
The whole time the Israelites wandered the wilderness they were focused on getting to the promised land. Their minds, eyes and ears were only tuned to that channel, everything else was background noise. It’s the modern day equivalent of wandering the wilderness while being on the phone.
What I’m Learning
It’s easy to become so laser focused on goals, the next steps or our agenda that we become oblivious to what’s happening around us. Having a goal and a direction for life is beneficial, but at the same time it shouldn’t become a distraction. But plans aren’t the only things that can distract. Sometimes we can become hyper focused on the promises or callings of God that we miss what God is doing in our lives; maybe even failing to see other doors that He’s opening. Or in the case of the Israelites, failing to see His divine provisions.
This verse is a reminder that God works all the time. But if we aren’t paying attention, we will miss it, regardless of how miraculous it was. My hope is that our minds will always be understanding, our eyes will always be seeing and our ears will always be listening. And the best way to do that is to make sure our focus is on Jesus.