In Deuteronomy 8.15 we see that the Lord led Israel through the wilderness "that he might humble [them] and test [them] to do [them] good in the end" (ESV). This humbling and testing goes on in our age as well. Our Lord and Savior brings us through many trials. Daily we are confrtonted with the temptation to live by our own wisdom, to depend on our ability. Yet we do not live by bread alone, but by God's Word. We do not live based on our covenant, but on God's covenant. We do not live by our toils but by the toils of Christ on our behalf.
What does our Lord do when we choose to live by our own wits, when we exercise our free will, which is actually a bound will, when we try to have it all our own way? Ultimately he allows us to do so. He warns us it is the path of destruction. He throws obstacles in our way. He lets us endure the challenges and sufferings that come to people in every socio-economic class. He lets us see the sinfulness of sin as we are sinned against and as we sin against others. He lets us find that there is no adequate recourse for sin and suffering outside of himself. But ultimately he lets us strive to earn our own salvation, to live our own way.
Let us not go down the path of destruction by exercising our will, living by our word. Let us rather be humbled and tested, that our Lord may do us good in the end. And this is the good he has promised. Dying he will die for us and our sin. He will show us that he has borne our shame and grief. He will show us that the resurrection he experienced is the resurrection we will have, a resurrection to eternal life. He will show us that he is indeed our living hope on this earth and in the life to come.
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