SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 10
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” [Luke 12:4-5] As the crowds increase around Jesus, and the religious leaders become more angry, Jesus warns His disciples not to focus on the applause or the opposition, but on God. Whether we are trying to impress people, or defend ourselves from them, our focus is off of God and on people. We act as if their opinion or their power matters more than God’s. We are respecting or fearing them more than God.
Moses has the same message. As God renews His covenant with the people, and they prepare to move forward into Canaan on their mission from God, He reminds them that they serve Him. He is their Master, He is the mighty and awesome One, the God over all gods and the Lord over all lords. Don’t spend your time trying to impress others or defend yourselves against them. Make God your primary audience, the audience of One. Sure, the fortified cities in Canaan are strong and well-defended. The people are big, the armies are strong. The gods of the land have many followers who testify to their power and glory. Sure, they can resist you, hurt you, even kill you. But they can only harm the body, they cannot defeat you completely. Compared to God, their power is limited, finite, restricted. God is the only one that can ultimately establish or defeat you.
To fear God means to recognize God for Who He truly is. He has ultimate power and knowledge. He is everywhere present. No one can look at God without being destroyed, on the spot. Think about the potential of nuclear energy, and magnify that eternally – no limit. But more than power, He is also ultimate love and ultimate goodness – compassion, mercy, patience, forgiveness. The prophet Isaiah states that “the LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, He is the one you are to fear, He is the one you are to dread, and He will be a sanctuary” [Isaiah 8:13-14]. The right response is to fall on our knees in respect, and then draw close for sanctuary. He is not safe, but He is good!
The bigger God is in our minds, the greater our confidence and boldness. The more we consider God worthy, the less power other gods or fears or struggles will have. As Paul says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” [Romans 8:31].
PRAYER:
Lord, You are awesome and mighty. You are bigger than anything else that I will face today. I choose to fear and drawn near to You!
v. 9: “That is why the Levites have no share or inheritance among their brothers: the LORD is their inheritance, as the LORD your God told them.”
The Levites’ inheritance was the Lord. Just like Matthew 6:20, “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal,” our treasure or inheritance is not to be in this world or in the things that can cloud our attention here, but we are to put all our eggs into one heavenly basket.
v. 12: And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask 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 all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?”
What does the Lord command but everything? What does he demand but your full devotion?
“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.”
This God who is so omniscient, so powerful and loves us so much; He wants us to love the ‘aliens’. My alien is easy to love, but so difficult to help… God has filled me with love for her… He equips me to walk beside… but it is hard… People might say why?, too hard, don’t risk yourself, yet I too was an alien, people loved me.. Jesus, my splendid Saviour, got whipped and bled and suffered and died for me, can I do less? Besides, God is with me, with us, as we walk what He has given us to walk…
And Moses:
Moses built the ark. How long this would take? To cut a tree, make boards, join them together, with hand tools, no screws or glue (perhaps sap from another tree) and sand it with a stone… Moses also chiselled out the two tablets. Have you ever tried to cut through stone? This was work!
Moses was the leader, but he got his hands dirty and scraped. Then he climbed the mountain and what, fasted for 40 days while he besought God for the people? This was work for the people he loved!
Why am I even fussing!
Thank-You God for this chapter, for reminding me of how awesome You are! Incredible, Powerful, Fearsome, Creator and lover of each individual. Oh God, of course You are with us, I will trust You and I know You will enable me to do what You call me to do. I Praise You, Amen.
“And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask 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 observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.”
Do this and live! With singleness of mind and heart, serve the living God. He is the One who was and is faithful. We need to give Him our praise, our thanks, our all in all.
Who am I? I am His!
Why am I here? To serve Him with my whole being!
How is this a possiblity? He has promised to help all those who trust and obey.
Help me this day to go forward in all I do and say. I hold fast to the promises of God.
He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
Refrain:
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful foll’wer I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.