Berean Hour: Daily Reflection by Rev Dr Yaw Adu-Gyamfi, Berean Baptist Temple, UK. 30 July 2013 What God Asks of You Deut 10:12-22 The Book of Deuteronomy reveals the love relationship of God to his people and his people’s love for him as their sovereign God. The book echoes the call to total commitment to God in worship and obedience to God. As regards the literary structure, our passage falls within the stipulations of the covenant (4:44-26:19). In this section of the stipulations, God asks of his people to do four things to keep their covenant relationship with him. In fact, it was for the people’s own good that they were asked to perform these acts. God commands his people today to perform these things for their own good. First, we are to fear God. “Fear” here has the sense of reverential trust in God that includes commitment to his revealed word. This “fear” also has with it respect for God. We obey the laws of society because we “fear” the government. God wants believers to respect him and so obey his word. Second, God requires of the believer to walk in all his ways. To walk in God’s ways is a characteristic expression of the Book of Deuteronomy for obedience to covenant obligations. God wants believers to live a lifestyle of obedience to his word. Thus, the believer is to conduct him/herself in accordance with God’s word. We are to walk in all his way “so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days…” (Deut 5:33). Third, God wants the believer to love him. To love God is to put him first in all that we do. God should not be second to anyone or anything in the believer’s life. We love God because he first loved us. The fourth thing God asks of the believer is to serve him. To “serve” is to render active service to God. Note that we are to serve God wholeheartedly: “with al your heart and with all your soul.” This phrase indicates total involvement and commitment. We are not to serve God anyhow: “Because you did not serve the LORD your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, therefore, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the LORD send against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you” (Deut 28:47). Finally, the believer is asked to observe God’s commands and decrees. To “observe” here means to obey, comply with, or conform to God’s instructions. We also observe to regard with attention, especially to learn something. Friend, God has set his affection on you and loved you; he has chosen you and made you special among many. To keep our part of the covenant stipulations, we are asked to do all the above for our own good: “Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!” (Deut 5:29). Therefore, friend, circumcise your heart, and do not be stiff-necked any longer (v. 16). Like God, do not accept bribes; like him defend the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and love the alien. Hold fast to God and make him your praise. God bless you.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 12:10:47 +0000
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