Daily Reading 10-11-17
Deuteronomy 6:10-25 Living Bible (TLB)
Moses shares God’s commands for the covenant community of Israel and he tells them to love the Lord their God with all their hearts, souls, and strength. If they do as God commands, they will enjoy a long life (Deut. 6:2-6). As I reflect upon our verses today, it is clear God is asking His people to make a wholehearted commitment to Him, because He is making a wholehearted commitment to us.
Casual Christianity is never going to liberate us from bondage to sin nor bring us the power of God; only a wholehearted commitment to our relationships with the Lord will bring victory. If you are struggling to break free from strongholds and condemnation, submit yourself to God and his commands, resist the enemy and he will flee because your obedience brings the Lord’s help to your life. And “when” the Lord has brought your breakthrough, revived your life, and covered you with His favor, “then” remember to thank and serve him.
Deuteronomy 6:10-25
10-12 “When the Lord your God has brought you into the land he promised your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and when he has given you great cities full of good things—cities you didn’t build, wells you didn’t dig, and vineyards and olive trees you didn’t plant—and when you have eaten until you can hold no more, then beware lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the land of slavery. 13 When you are full, don’t forget to be reverent to him and to serve him and to use his name alone to endorse your promises.
14 “You must not worship the gods of the neighboring nations, 15 for Jehovah your God who lives among you is a jealous God, and his anger may rise quickly against you, and wipe you off the face of the earth. 16 You must not provoke him and try his patience as you did when you complained against him at Massah. 17 You must actively obey him in everything he commands. 18 Only then will you be doing what is right and good in the Lord’s eyes. If you obey him, all will go well for you, and you will be able to go in and possess the good land that the Lord promised your ancestors. 19 You will also be able to throw out all the enemies living in your land, as the Lord agreed to help you do.
20 “In the years to come when your son asks you, ‘What is the purpose of these laws which the Lord our God has given us?’ 21 you must tell him, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with great power 22 and mighty miracles—with terrible blows against Egypt and Pharaoh and all his people. We saw it all with our own eyes. 23 He brought us out of Egypt so that he could give us this land he had promised to our ancestors. 24 And he has commanded us to obey all of these laws and to reverence him so that he can preserve us alive as he has until now. 25 For it always goes well with us when we obey all the laws of the Lord our God.’
Prayer: Lord, You are entirely sold out to love your people; your created human race. You are sold out to love each one of us. I know my response to you must be obedience. Thank you for this reminder, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.