Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the LORD’S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?
Deuteronomy 10: 12-13
In Deuteronomy, Moses is speaking to the second generation of Israelites when they were in the land of Moab, east of the Jordan where it flows into the Dead Sea. This was the last stop before going on into the Promised Land. Moses’ speech contained in Deuteronomy is, in effect, his farewell address to his people, since he will not be going with them into Canaan. He is stressing to them the laws that they must follow.
In these passages, Moses is presenting four imperatives to the Israelites: to fear, to walk, to love and to serve. There was to be no distinction between the Israelites’ worship and their daily lives. They were to fear God; they were totally dependent upon Him and could achieve nothing without Him. They were to walk in His ways; they were to commit solely to him and live lives of obedience to him. They were to love Him; they were to return God’s love, for He loved them even though they did not deserve it. God showered his divine love upon his chosen people, Israel. Finally, they were to serve the Lord with all their hearts and souls; they were to live lives of service to God.
These four charges seem fairly straightforward and yet they are no easier today than for the Israelites those centuries ago. Rather than acknowledge that God is in charge, how tempting it is to try to control all aspects of our lives. And, like the Israelites, how often have we experienced God’s grace as He protects us from our bad decisions. In our all too busy and material world, we can be so easily distracted from living lives of commitment and obedience to God. And, yet, the very essence of God is love and He gives it to us so freely, how can we not be grateful and return that love? Moses was preparing his people for the challenges they would encounter in the Promised Land by reminding them of their unique relationship to God. The same holds true for us today. God has given us all we need: we must try to fear, walk, love and serve in return.
Susan Whitehead
