Saturday Reflection – October 17, 2020

Saturday Reflection – 17 October 2020

“So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only 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.” Deuteronomy 10:12

This was the second time, Moses had journeyed up the mountain, where he would again receive the Ten Commandments and deliver them to the children of Israel. We can remember that the first time Moses received the commandments, the people had turned to idolatry and worshipped a golden calf. When Moses saw this, he was so angry that he dropped the tablets of stone and they broke. This time, after the cleansing of the nation Israel, punishment and continued journey, Moses received a second pair of tablets bearing the commandments of the Lord.

This time the text records the question being asked – “…What does the LORD your God require of you? It is interesting because at this point – they had suffered the consequences for their sin and Moses was again instructed to lead the people to the promised land. It was God’s mercy being poured out upon his beloved, an though he gives the commandments to the people, he gives them the foundation and summation of their righteous living. That which he requires from his people.

Often times, we face this same question, having been saved from sin, washed in the blood of the Lamb and filled with the Holy Spirit. We may be at the same place where the children of Israel were, contemplating their next step as they journey to the promised land. So, what does the Lord require of us? We hear the answer in today’s watchword – “…Only 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.” This can be said to be the total measure of Christian living.

In the answer, we see four main factors arising that sum up our Christian living. And all four flow into each other. For the foundation is to fear God. Proverbs 9:10 says that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” In this Holy Fear, we are mindful of the watchful eyes and ears of God who guide us along the right path. Because we are mindful, then we seek to know his word and precepts and to obey them. Then we will seek to discern the Holy Spirit, who will guide us into all truth and obey the Holy Spirit. And because we love him, knowing that he first loved us and died for us. We then in response would now love him and serve him. Now then, when we develop that Holy Fear, then we will walk in all his ways, and will love him and will serve him with our all, because we know, how he has called us to live, and what he has called us to do. But that Holy Fear will drive us, in our love for God to put our best foot forward so that we may honour and glorify God. And when we stumble, we become mindful and contrite, which lead us to seek his forgiveness and restoration, so that we lead repentant lives.

God’s call to us as his children is simply this – fear him, understand that he is God – a just, righteous and good God who has called us righteous living. Seek to honour and glorify God. We honour and glorify God, by living as God called us to and serving God, that as we become disciples of Christ, we go and make other disciples. Yes, we reminded by the Lord Jesus “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (St. Matthew 5:16) And James brings this out, in today’s doctrinal text – that we honour and glorify God by doing what he has called us to do. We have called to “…be doers of the word, and not merely hearers.” (James 1:22)

Until next week, let us continue to reflect on where we are, in fulfilling that which the Lord requires of us. May that Holy Fear burn within us, that we may walk in his ways, and may love and serve him with our very all. I leave you with the words of the prophet Micah, who put the same thought another way: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8, NIV) Amen.

Dominic J. Blair