May 19, 2020
What does it say?
Moses told how God had renewed the covenant with Israel by rewriting the Ten Commandments on stone tablets. He called on the people to recommit to God.
What does it mean?
Moses’ oral history of Israel is continued from the last chapter. After being reminded of God’s law in the Ten Commandments, the people were instructed to love and serve Him with all their heart and soul. God didn’t desire a simple outward compliance but obedience that resulted from genuine love and worship. Just as circumcision was an outward sign of the covenant God made with Abraham, Moses told the people to make sure that inwardly their hearts were also in covenant with God.
How should I respond?
As followers of Christ, we sometimes confuse what we do with who we are. It’s possible to maintain the outward appearance of serving God while our hearts are actually serving other things. Keeping up appearances may impress other people, but God sees straight into our hearts. Reread verses 12 and 13. What part of your life, service, love, or obedience needs to change? In what ways are your heart and actions out of alignment? Recommit today to love and serve God with all of your heart and life. Regardless of appearances, you’ll begin to live a new way – abundantly, righteously, genuinely – His way!