The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 10:13,
"So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— then..."
As Moses prepared the Israelites for crossing the Jordan to drive out the Canaanites and take possession of the land, he exhorts them to follow the Lord's commands. The Lord's commands Moses gives in this context is that they are to "love the Lord your God" and to serve him with "all your heart and with all your soul". Moses follows this with the assured outcome of God blessing their land, making them prosperous and successful, "then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied."
Here in the books of the law God gave Moses, the concern centers on the heart and soul. "to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul..." The Lord looks at the inward man: does he serve the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul? Mere outward obedience will not do. The Lord looks at the condition of the heart.
Unfortunately, as time went on, the hearts of his people denied him what he desired. In Isaiah 29:13 we read, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught."
How about us today? Where are our hearts when we spend time with others worshipping the Lord? Where are our hearts when we are at home or work or play? Do we love the Lord with all our hearts and souls? Jesus told one of the "experts" in the law that the greatest commandment given Moses in the law was, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37.
"So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— then..."
As Moses prepared the Israelites for crossing the Jordan to drive out the Canaanites and take possession of the land, he exhorts them to follow the Lord's commands. The Lord's commands Moses gives in this context is that they are to "love the Lord your God" and to serve him with "all your heart and with all your soul". Moses follows this with the assured outcome of God blessing their land, making them prosperous and successful, "then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied."
Here in the books of the law God gave Moses, the concern centers on the heart and soul. "to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul..." The Lord looks at the inward man: does he serve the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul? Mere outward obedience will not do. The Lord looks at the condition of the heart.
Unfortunately, as time went on, the hearts of his people denied him what he desired. In Isaiah 29:13 we read, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught."
How about us today? Where are our hearts when we spend time with others worshipping the Lord? Where are our hearts when we are at home or work or play? Do we love the Lord with all our hearts and souls? Jesus told one of the "experts" in the law that the greatest commandment given Moses in the law was, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37.
Where am I in that regard today?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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