Devotional Messages

Your Life, His Grace

"What does the Lord your God require of you?" Moses asks those before Him, the Israelites fresh from forty years wandering the desert in preparation for the promised land; "What does the Lord your God require of you?" Moses asks, implying that the Lord does not ask much of His people; "What does the Lord your God require of you?" Moses asks, imploring the people to give up their 'stiff-necked', stubborn ways and follow the Lord; "what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?" (Deut. 10:12-13, ESV).

Read through Deuteronomy 10:12-13 again, is what the Lord requires of His people much? To fear Him? To walk fully in His ways? To love Him? To serve Him? To obey Him? To do each of these fully, with complete devotion all the days of their lives? Is that a big ask? To be honest it does sound like a big ask to me... but then, I think I'm more like one of those Israelites than like God or His messenger Moses.

As soon as Moses says these words he realises to whom he is speaking. He is speaking to a people who so easily forget the obvious and outright ways that God has worked in their lives, in front of their very eyes, into their very stomaches and under their very feet. He is speaking to those who so easily forget the power and love of God. He is speaking to people like you and I. He knows that as they consider 'what the Lord requires of them' they're going to conclude that it is a big ask. "I have to fear Him, love Him, serve Him, walk in His ways and keeps his commandments??? But I was looking forward to ...!".

Moses knew that it is not natural for us to consider devoting fully our lives to God, ignoring our own assessment of what is best for us and seeking our own well-being in our own way, so he goes on to relate why God's requirements are fair and understandable. "Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day." (Deuteronomy 10:14-15, ESV)

Why should the Israelites give their lives in submission to the Lord and His ways? For that matter, why should you and I give our lives in submission to the Lord and His ways? Because, as a paraphrase of Moses' words, "All that there is, is His". That kinda rhymes. "All that there is, is His". Try remembering it and repeating it the next time you consider not following God's ways. "All that there is, is HIS".

All that there is, is His; yet He chose to love the Israelites above others; just as he chose us out of the present-day world to be loved by Him. The Israelites were to have God care for them, and furnish them with the promised Land; we have been chosen to receive Christ as brother, God as Father, earth as temporary and heaven as home; perhaps it is not such a big ask to show God our devotion to Him in every way we can. In fact, perhaps once the truth of God's grace is understood it is rather ungracious for us not to live in devotion to Him, not to fear and love Him, not to serve and obey Him in every way.

"You shall fear the Lord your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen." (Deut. 10:20-21, ESV)

Pray and in your heart consider those areas in your life that you don't follow God's ways; the places where you don't serve Him fully, or love Him completely; commit these to Him and ask His strength to please, serve and glorify Him.