Curiously, the two letters, D. V. are often found at the end of letters written in Eighteenth Century and older correspondence of some very famous people, just after the post script of their hand written correspondence. The “D” and the “V” stand for two Latin words, “Deo Volente” which simply means “if God wills.” By this means, whatever was communicated in the letter, the author trusts, can only happen if God wills it to happen. If this expression is not used simply as a habit with no thought given to its obvious worth, this shows an obvious and faithful subjection to God’s will and the true desire of the one who has remembered to express this to the one being written. The real strength and good that comes from such a thing is that this shows the correct dependence upon God for not just our well-being but also our planned actions in this life. I would like for us to think for a few minutes about what God says about our need to trust and depend upon Him more.
In reading Deuteronomy 8:11-18, there is a great lesson for us about ingratitude toward God.
“Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 “lest-when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 “and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 “when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15 “who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16 “who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end- 17 “then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ 18 “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”
Probably the main reason the children of Israel were ultimately rejected as God’s people was that they forgot to be thankful and appreciative of God. A clear case in point is found in Judges 7:2, “And the LORD said to Gideon, ‘The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.'” The apostle Paul says about his own physical infirmity in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Depend Upon God in Today’s World?
Dependence upon God’s beneficent love is something we must recognize and appreciate daily. Remember what Christ said, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3). When reasoning with the great rationally trained minds of the Greeks on Mars Hill, Paul said, Acts 17:24-28 “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 “Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 “for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.'”
You only have to read the beautiful thoughts expressed by the psalmist in Psalm 104:10-35, and I hope that you will, to get the full measure of why we should be so aware that our very existence is totally reliant upon Him. Just think with me about all the things that God does for us beyond what has already been mentioned:
- God opens my heart with his word, Acts 16:14.
- I am His workmanship and He saves me, Ephesians 2:8-10.
- The Lord makes me stand as a Christian, Romans 14:4.
- He delivers me from evil, 2 Timothy 4:18.
- He has given me the words to speak about Him, 1 Peter 4:11.
- And He gives me the ability to serve, also found in 1 Peter 4:11.
- He gives me the increase from my labors for Him, 1 Corinthians 3:5-9.
- He comforts me, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.
- He gives me strength to do all He has asked me to do, Philippians 4:13.
- He gives me His wisdom, James 1:3-5.
- He has given us all things, Ephesians 4:6, “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Also: Psalms 37:3-6, 18-19, 23-26, 39-40.
What we need is more trust in God and more meditation on His word. We need more humility and more dependence on God for salvation in every way. What we could really use is more awareness of God’s hand in everyday life. Always trust and depend on God because you are his child and He is your Father.
