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Living in times of contention and division, we crave guidelines for navigating the murky waters of the world. These are revealed in the truths of Scripture. God knew His people that were stepping into the Promised Land just as He knows us today. The first part of this article discussed God’s plan for His people, instructions that are both timeless and timely for us today. Three tenets to follow: Obey. Love. Walk.
Obedience was discussed in the previous article. Now LOVE.
Love was the second of God’s commands in Deuteronomy 30:6 (ESV):
“And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the
heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God
with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”
Have you have seen the movie Bruce Almighty? One of the major themes is that, because of God’s gift of free will, forcing someone to love you is out of bounds. At least, the feeling of love towards someone must be spontaneous, a choice the giver has alone. But in Scripture God is clearly commanding love, so there must be more than a feeling. This, as Womenary professor and pastor Eric Barton likes to say, is something that is both/and.
And in fact, there is much more to love, including love as an act of the will. But God knows, the heart is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9, ESV). David knew the only way to turn back to God was by His power. In Psalm 51:10 (ESV) he pleads: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. So, God helps us out by circumcising our hearts, just as it promises in the verse above. Ezekiel hoped for the time when God would “remove the heart of stone…and give you a heart of flesh” (36:26, ESV).
Love is the only way to live. This living takes on new meaning when Jesus dies for us and is raised from the dead. Then our devotion to follow Him to the cross (by the Spirit) leads us to being alive again in Christ. Womenary professor and pastor, Ross Strader, once taught that Scripture is not meant to just reform our character; it is meant to kill us. We are meant to die to self and become alive together with Christ, which is one reason the Cross is so important. Jesus points us toward the only way to “fix” our heart problem.
As much as Deuteronomy is about the Law, it is a book that drives home the importance of Love. His love for us is the reason that God bothers with us at all! Only love could keep our Creator working for the good of such a rebellious people. Only love could motivate our Savior to endure humanity, desertion, humiliation, and crucifixion. So, as the Israelites are poised to enter the Promised Land God reminds them that as love is His driving force, it is meant to be theirs, and ours, as well.
Obedience. Love. And WALKING WITH HIM.
Deuteronomy 30:10 tells us to “turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul”
Deuteronomy 30:16, “by walking in His ways”
Deuteronomy 30:20, “holding fast to him.”
It seems to be a process—not linear, more circular or circuitous—but steps along our journey in this life none-the-less. It is circuitous for 2 reasons: because we live in a fallen world; and because we, each of us, are a rebellious lot! 1 Samuel 7:3 (NLT) gives us some practical advice in accomplishing this: Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the LORD with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the LORD and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines” (emphasis mine). Samuel is showing them that their actions revealed their desertion of God occurred first. God merely honored their choice. It was the choice that wreaked havoc on life.
At times we simply must cling to God as if clinging to a buoy on the ocean in the middle of a storm. We cleave or hold fast to Him, even if we do not understand His responses to our prayers, even when it seems God is not acting at all. We cling to Him because we agree with Samuel that God’s sovereignty will see us through. His love for us will not allow Him to leave us alone. His promises are the only sure thing. Maybe this is the point at which we need to ask ourselves some hard questions.
The passage in 1 Samuel starts with “If you want to return to the LORD with all your hearts…” So I ask myself:
Do I desire to turn my life over to the LORD?
How strong is that desire over just wanting God to take care of my messes and the mess that is life in our 2021 world?
Do I desire God’s loving rebuke in my life, or do I want to be proven right in things like my views of masks, medicines, and political choices?
In the effort for reconciliation, whether it be across race or party, gender or generational lines, the answer lies in our love for God and our endeavors to love what God loves.
Obey. Love. Walk.
One of our best tools in these endeavors is our memory. “Remember” is a command from God, because forgetting leads to ingratitude and ultimately rebellion. That was why Moses spent much of Deuteronomy reminding the Israelites of all God had done. It was why he told them in chapter 6, and several other times, to teach and talk about God—His acts and His character—to family, friend, and stranger. Just as today, when we remember Christ’s acts on our behalf we live grateful for His love toward us; and we love Him and His creation in return.
Every day that we live close to His Word, we remember the redemption bought by the great sacrifices of our Messiah. This memory fuels our love and obedience to God who never leaves us in our walk through today, into tomorrow, and throughout a glorious eternity with Him.
Precious instructions for all the “firsts” to come!
Elizabeth Murphy
Elizabeth Murphy has been following Christ since she was 17. Although this road has not always been straight, she has seen God’s hand in every detour. She is blessed with and by her husband, John, and growing family. As an educator, she has been able to feed her insatiable desire to learn every day and share learning with others. Elizabeth became a student of Womenary in 2016. From the Bible to theology to cozy mysteries, She is always absorbed in reading. This still leaves time for enjoying travel with her husband, walking, old movies, and time with extended family and friends. Elizabeth loves to walk alongside fellow Christ-chasers—learning and laughing through life.
