Love the Lord your God

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I thought it would be fun to share some reflections on my personal quiet time today. It has been a while since I sat down to write and reflect about things that I have been reading, and I somehow had an "AHA" moment with it, thus the decision to share it here.

My devotion today is from ODB, and the Bible reading is on Deuteronomy 6:1-12

The author started by acknowledging that God wanted him to say the things that he was about to say. Then verse 2 immediately follows with the effects f those things, such as, 
  1. my children and their children may fear the Lord, as long as I live and keep the commands that God was giving me. [an inter-generational promise.. pretty neat actually]
  2. enjoy life
He then addresses Israel in general, sort of reminding them to follow and obey also. But, what caught my attention is that the reminder was again followed by its effects. Which are:

  1. so that it may go well with me
  2. increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey
just as it was promised...

This passage struck a chord in me in a sense that the author was urging the Israelites (us in today's context i guess) to follow and obey because it is for their own good... eventually enjoying a filled life, and living in a promise land is not a bad deal if you ask me. 

What's more is that, I've realized that the effects of my obedience does not stop with me. The bible tells that it will transcend through generations.

The laws and decrees of God are not restrictive. They are being given for my own good. For me to eventually enjoy God's promise of a beautiful life. Beautiful being in God's perspective and not mine.

That is probably why the author continued on to the next paragraph by urging us to exageratingly integrate God's commandments in real life.

  • to be on my heart
  • impress it on my children
  • talk about it while sitting, walking, lying, and getting up
  • tying them as symbols on my forehead, and
  • writing them on the doorframes of my houses and gates
The first few urgings are a bit acceptable still, but as he specified further it becomes weird. Of course, it is just a figure of speech when he told it as that. But, what I get from it is that I really really need to put conscious effort in keeping these decrees.

Because eventually, God will bring me towards His promise, and then the author thoughtfully reminds me not to forget the sole reason of all the good things which is the Lord who brought me out of Egypt the land of slavery.

Wonderful reading today. I'm reminded that the command to love the Lord my God is not restrictive but is to be followed and obeyed because it is for my own good and for the good of the generations after me. A truth that is somehow liberating to me because of the struggles that I am still struggling with at this point. And noting that, it really takes much effort to integrate it in real life. But then again, it should all be worth it. Because it is the Lord's commands, purposes, and decrees I am following and it will be Him that will bring me out of slavery and bring me to that promised land. <3

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