Remember and Respond
V.12 And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, 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?
After the Israelites betrayed their new covenant with God by creating the Golden Calf (Deuteronomy 9), God in his love, reestablishes the covenant. Moses calls the people to remember and respond to God.
When God asks them to fear him, he’s not asking them to be afraid of him, he’s asking them to be in awe of him. Rather than running away from God, fear of God draws us towards him in awestruck worship. It is demonstrated in an increasingly overflowing heart of love and service. It is daily walking with God, obeying him with a love that goes beyond lip service.
Fearing God is developing love for him that responds to him with every part of our lives. But when we sin or don’t live up to our expectations, we can easily fall into shame or comparison with our brothers and sisters in Christ. God in Deuteronomy 10 points us to his character. Despite our brokenness and propensity to sin, God still loves us. We can say no to the voice of shame and envy, and hold fast to God and his love.
When we fail, envy stalls us by fixating on other people. Shame tells us that our failure is our defining moment. God invites us to walk with him and take one more step with him. What is the one thing God is inviting you to do instead of being stalled by shame? Maybe it’s texting an encouraging verse to a friend. Maybe it’s stepping outside and thanking him for creation. Maybe it’s sitting with him in silence for 5 minutes.
PRAYER
God, I don’t want to offer you mere lip service. Today, I choose to fear, love and serve you with all my heart and soul. Break the power of envy and shame that keeps me stuck. Let my life be a response to your overwhelming goodness. Amen
