4 Minute Read

TODAY’S BIBLE READING:

Deuteronomy 9:1–10:22
Luke 8:4-21
Psalm 69:19-36
Proverbs 12:2-3

TODAY’S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Deuteronomy 10:12 (CSB): “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you except to fear the LORD your God by walking in all his ways, to love him, and to worship the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul?”

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY’S BIBLE VERSE(S):

I love lists because they are short and sweet. They get right to the point. And, as in our Verse for Today, they give us quick and easy steps of action.

Moses asked a question: “What does the LORD your God ask of you?” He follows that question with the three-part answer. Let’s look at them.

“Fear the LORD your God by walking in all his ways”

To fear the LORD doesn’t mean that we are terrified of Him. It means that we have a working understanding of how holy, how just, and how powerful He is. He is furious at sin, He stands ready to attack it wherever He sees it, and He has the ability to destroy it in any way He chooses.

With this understanding of our God, we don’t want to toy with sin. We don’t want to offend our Heavenly Father.

So, we commit to “walking in all his ways.” We read our Bibles, find out what God requires, and do it. When we stray from what God requires, we quickly confess it as sin, repent (turn from it), and get back on the road to holiness.

“Love him”

God doesn’t want us to simply obey rules (which are for our good, by the way [see Deut. 10:13]). He also wants our heart.

We are called to love Him. That means that we recognize that our God is not an “it” but, as a Person, enjoys relationship. God has enjoyed relationship in the Trinity for all of eternity. And, as He calls us to Himself, He invites us to enjoy being a part of that relationship.

John 17:3 (CSB): “This is eternal life: that they may know you (experientially), the only true God, and the one you have sent—Jesus Christ.”

As we get to know God, the one that we were made to enjoy, we will naturally love Him. With this second activity that God asks of us, we realize that our obedience to His Word (our pursuit of holiness) isn’t solely based upon our desire to be good. It is because we love the God who has called us to holiness and we want to do what He desires of us.

“Worship the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul”

Worship is what we were made to do. Worship is simply being so captivated by something that we give it honor by giving it our full attention. We want to take it all in.

When we come to understand how wonderful our God is and realize that our love for Him continues to grow, we will naturally be moved to worship. We will enjoy being in His presence. We will gladly acknowledge our willing submission to Him.

Worship isn’t simply singing songs. It is filling our hearts up with what we enjoy.

Conclusion

Friend, God asks three things of us (everything else He asks of us falls under these three things).

  • Obey Him
  • Love Him
  • Worship Him

Of these three, which one are you doing the best at? Which one needs improvement?

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