Day 94
Deuteronomy 26:1‐27:26; Luke 10:38‐11:13; Psalm 76:1‐12; Proverbs 12:15‐17
Laws of the Heart
In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses writes the words “…follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.” It certainly is one thing to follow the laws of the Lord and quite another to do it with your heart.
I have two young boys, and when the time comes for them to do a chore that they would rather not do, it is usually accompanied by much complaining and the ensuing whining. If we persist in telling them that the chore must be done, eventually it gets done. I can tell you that it typically does not come with a joyful heart and a willing soul.
There is no doubt that Moses knew this would be the case with the many laws he had relayed from the Lord. This verse strategically appears after the discussion of giving of a tithe. Tithing is not easy, and for some it may come with a little groaning and whining. Nevertheless, regarding all the laws, the Lord commands, “observe with your heart and soul.” In other words, by choosing to live within the laws, we are actually freed from being restricted by them. If we focus on what we cannot do, we often miss the many things we can do for the Lord. He has given us freedom to live and when we do, our hearts and souls rejoice in Him. God is good.
I can assure you that aligning our hearts, our souls, and our attitudes with the Lord’s desires will result in a joyful obedience to His commands.
The Rev. Wes Sharp