PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Deuteronomy 19-20
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“To love the Lord your God and to walk always in obedience to him.” (Deuteronomy 19:9)
Moses is inspired by God to form a nation shaped and motivated by love.
We may cringe at some of Moses’s laws, but they were advanced for that time.
The ‘normal’ in that time was unrestrained violence and vengeance.
God’s purpose was to create an oasis of justice, mercy and faithfulness.
But that was not to be; the Moses law could not change their hearts.
Jesus comes like Moses to instill the Law of Love in the world.
But instead of giving more rules, Jesus gives himself in love.
Jesus makes it clear that ‘eye for eye’ does not work (Matthew 5:38-39).
He does not impose love, he implants love into our hearts.
He takes the curse of human hate and hurt and absorbs it in himself.
He loves his enemies, turns the other cheek, goes the extra mile.
Jesus becomes a place of refuge where we can all escape the curse of sin.
He plunders the Enemy and sets the captives of sinful hate and hurt free.
Unless we embrace God’s gracious love within, we will not be free to love.
PRAYER
Lord, in these laws I see hints of your gracious love. But I see this more clearly in you. Help me to apply and live out your love in my own culture and context.
“No malicious aforethought” and ” Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the Lord your God.”
God intentions are clear. He desires to protect the innocent and he wants to keep his people from being contaminated by the detestable worship practices of the people whose land He has assigned to Israel. But all these to me are external strategies – the ‘refuge’ cities, the purging of the bad worship practices – but what really is needed is a change of heart – Jesus’ gift of the HS helps me not to have malicious aforethought – to think evil on someone or to have a purging/rejecting attitude to someone else. Sure my purity may be at risk – but with the help of the HS I am enabled! Sure I have to practice good sense – not get caught up in drugs, alcohol abuse, swearing, lewd activities etc. – it is the HS that helps me to avoid these things and to stay in the right!
Rules for living.
Do this and live. The Lord our God is the One Who goes with us.
Follow His rules. Do not focus on the worldly pleasures around us.
Open my eyes Lord tht I may see You Who protects the innocent. May we see Jesus Who took my guilt and set me free to serve Him so I am protected from what I deserve. Hel[ me daily to be an instrument of Your peace.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.