The memory verse for March 2021
Deuteronomy 10 v 12-14
And now, Isreal, 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, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I’m commanding you for your good? Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.
Reading through the Bible with a group of the ladies from church is a treat. There is nothing better than to be bonded over the word of God. It has encouraged me in so many ways. First It gives me discipline and accountability and secondly a dedicated time, set aside each day to hearing God's word being read and just letting it sink in, there’s no rushing, and no skipping any difficult passages or words, I'll admit we struggle, sometimes with pronunciations, strange phrasing and the inclusion of some things, but I’ve found that the combination of reading and listening has improved my understanding and dare I say made the exercise of reading Gods Word even more enjoyable. If you are able to join us please do. It’s every weekday at 6pm online for 1/2hr. We’re just about to finish the Pentateuch, (half way through Deuteronomy) so, with it being fresh on my heart and mind I’ll admit I was excited to hear that the Sunday morning sermons will be a series on the Pentateuch.
The verses I’ve chosen for the memory verse this month are found in Deuteronomy. They are not new to me and similar and shorter variations can be found elsewhere in the Bible, most famously Micah 6v8, but also Ecclesiastes 12v13, there are other verses in the New Testament all referring back to this instruction from God through Moses to the Israelites.
When reading it I was reminded again of its significance, (maybe because we’re studying Romans on a Friday aswell). that here after all that God has done for the Israelites; rescuing them from the Egypt, from slavery and oppression, providing for them in the wilderness and just before they’re to enter the battle to gain eventual rest in the promised land they’re given these instructions to stop with their half heartedness, fear and rebellion and to set their hearts fully on God. This is us! We’ve been rescued from sin and slavery and on our way to the Promised Land which is fraught with all sought of wars internal and external, spiritual and fleshly. As children of God we’re to pause and recognize what we’re saved from and where we’re heading, so in the middle of what has been and what is to come - the here and now - we are to live according to his ways, we are to fear God, to follow Him, to love Him, to serve Him with all our being, from the heart – and because we have this of posture of heart, that will cause us to want to keep his commandments, which, in turn will lead to good and not harm, Gods provision and protection and not rejection.
It's a beautiful picture. So often we’re exasperated with the Israelites their grumbling and constant falling away, their building and worshipping of other dead idols and their general lack of faithfulness, but if we’re honest we’re just like them, unfaithful, ungrateful, fretful, fearful of man and the obstacles before us. We don’t rest on Gods promises. We follow the wicked ways of the people around us, compromising ourselves and others. But we need to have this sort of heart which is uncompromised and dedicated to following after God.
Another little gem in this passage is the reminder that it is,’ For your good’ we can sometimes forget that the instructions given by God are to benefit us. Yes, mans chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him for ever, (Westminster catechism) the whole emphasis being on God, but it is not detrimental to us but it is for our good. We should remember this and meditate on it.
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