June 2021
Nougat 9
With today’s Holy Nougat
“This is what I’m commanding you today: Love the Lord your God, follow his directions, and obey his commands, laws, and rules. Then you will live, your population will increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you’re about to enter and take possession of.” Deuteronomy 30:16 GW
It is worth noting that among Moses’s final instructions is this command to love the Lord. Moses pins this command to the call to obedience and to successfully live in the new land. If, as we said yesterday, we love God in response to God’s love; then we should find our obedience to God is much easier. For, we obey with the assurance that the One Who orders our steps wants the best for us.
This is the assurance of Psalm 37:23; that our steps are ordered by God. And, in the original text, ordering speaks to the act of fashioning, directing, fixing, made ready or even stabilized. This is what God does for us. Might I hasten to note that our goodness or righteousness is framed by our relationship with God. We can’t get around it. The one is qualified by the other.
The joy is, however, that when we yield to God’s good pleasure, there are perks. Yes please. Firstly I would note that we can walk as confidently as David, who waited patiently on the Lord, even when Saul tried to prevent his accession to Israel’s throne. Confidence, not of a braggart or even the over-zealous, but which recognizes God as Shepherd, the One Who supplies our needs and secures us in times of affliction. So much so, that he (David) wanted NO part in Saul’s death despite being threatened and hunted by Saul.
And because we KNOW Who orders our steps, we Live. For our hearts are not fearful – even when our enemies pursue us. (So, if we find ourselves harbouring Fear, especially in a prolonged manner, we might not be yielding to God). We may also find that our lives attract similar-minded persons, which is one way that our ‘population’ increases. Albeit, it may be literal but considering that our move is towards a different Land of Promise, we might not all be moving toward literal family expansion.
Might I note that our obedience brings blessings in the here and now, despite the challenges, and not just for the hereafter. Further, we benefit from the fact that our risen and ascended Christ has already established the way to deepen our love for God. As if dying our place wasn’t enough, Jesus appeals to God on our behalf AND has already provided us with our internal navigation system, our personal Advocate and Light-bearer for our souls in the form of the Spirit of God. And as we yield to God’s Spirit, Who seeks to abide with and in us, we fall deeper in Love and obedience with God; and we are better equipped to enter The Land of Promise.
All this and more, when we live conscious of God’s Love and love God in return.
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May all we seek be found in Christ