When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you-they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess. Deuteronomy 32: 45-47, NIV.
Our LORD and our God, with grateful hearts we come before you. We pray that Your goodness will fill our hearts and our lives, as we study Your Word; for Christ’s sake. Amen.
Today we are going to look at another aspect of obedience. I am convinced that we obey, to the degree that we believe (James 2: 18). Now, if I believe that taking a certain medication will improve my health; no one has to remind me to take my medicine. I will set the timer, or alarm clock, to make sure that I take my medication on time, and in the right amount. If I believe that exercise is life-changing, and life-enhancing, I will go to the gym and exercise. If I believe that getting enough rest will boost my immune system, rest assured, that I will do everything in my power to get the amount of rest that I need. I believe, therefore, I act, on my belief!
As the time draws near for Moses to die, instructed by God, he calls Joshua, who will be his successor, and prepares him for the task that lies ahead. He predicts the rebellion of the children of Israel after his death. Nevertheless, he encourages Joshua to be courageous, and assures him, that he will bring the children of Israel into the promised land. Then he recites what is known in Scripture as, The Song of Moses. In it, he relates the past, and foretells the future, history, of the children of Israel. Our Scripture for today, is the end of that song. We will look at it in three parts:
“Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day…” Lay these words up in your heart and mind. Do not let them go in one ear and out the other. Take these words seriously! Do not make light of them! Allow them to take root in your hearts. Not some, but all of them. This is a sacred charge!
“Command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law…” I looked up the word “carefully.” I wanted the details of the significance of the word. A broad understanding of the word was not enough. I wanted more. This is what I gleamed from Encarta: “with painstaking attention to detail.” “With caution and attention so as to avoid damage, or potential problems.” God wanted the Israelites to pay painstaking attention to the details of His law. He wanted to avoid damage to them. He did not want them to have problems in keeping His law. And that was not for His benefit, but for theirs! Merciful God of love! They were to teach their children the importance of His law, and thereby provide them with precepts by which to live.
“They are not just idle words for you-they are your life. By them you will live long…” A powerful declaration! In researching the definition of idle, there was so much to choose from; so I had to select the portions that fitted our study most closely. “Serving no serious purpose, or frivolous and a waste of time.” “Ineffective: unlikely to be carried out, or impossible to put into effect.” God, through Moses, seems to be saying: These are not just words! These words are your life! God’s law fits none of the definitions of idle. The purpose they serve are twofold. They help us to live a life of excellence here, when applied as prescribed. They prepare us to be able to appreciate eternal life when this life is over! They are not impossible to put into effect! “All of God’s biddings are enablings!” By His grace, and in His strength, we “can do all things!” God’s Words are our life! They produce both quality, and quantity, of life!
God has done all in His power to give us life in abundance. In the measure that we believe His Words, we will obey Him.
NOTE: In the first paragraph after our prayer a corection was made.