Deuteronomy 10:12-18
12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require 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, 13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? 14 Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.15 Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. 16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. 18 He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.
Verse 12 summarizes how we are to relate to God: fear Him, obey Him, love Him, and serve Him. The reason for these multiple aspects of our relationship to God is given in verses 14-18: God is the almighty Creator above all else in the universe, yet He chose to love us. Thus we should simultaneously fear, obey, love and serve Him. Ideally, we should be doing all of these things. If we fear God but do not love Him, then we are missing out. Similarly if we love God but do not obey Him then we are also missing part of a proper relationship with God. This is why compulsive sin affects not only our interpersonal relationships, but also our relationship with God. It is a sign that our faith is incomplete. Conversely, to heal such behavior we also need to renew our relationship with God. Which part of this relationship are you lacking in?
God, help me to properly fear You, to obey You, to love You, and to serve You.
12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require 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, 13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? 14 Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.15 Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. 16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. 18 He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.
Verse 12 summarizes how we are to relate to God: fear Him, obey Him, love Him, and serve Him. The reason for these multiple aspects of our relationship to God is given in verses 14-18: God is the almighty Creator above all else in the universe, yet He chose to love us. Thus we should simultaneously fear, obey, love and serve Him. Ideally, we should be doing all of these things. If we fear God but do not love Him, then we are missing out. Similarly if we love God but do not obey Him then we are also missing part of a proper relationship with God. This is why compulsive sin affects not only our interpersonal relationships, but also our relationship with God. It is a sign that our faith is incomplete. Conversely, to heal such behavior we also need to renew our relationship with God. Which part of this relationship are you lacking in?
God, help me to properly fear You, to obey You, to love You, and to serve You.