The people of Israel are at a critical point in their journey to the promised land as the book of Deuteronomy continues to unfold. The biblical storyline reveals more details as to how God deals with His people. After restating the 10 commandments, we see a most unique command…
“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!”
Deuteronomy 6:4
To hear is more than just to audibly hear…check this video out:
And so, God’s people are called to more than just audibly hearing, but to hearing and obeying…
Jesus confirms this command…
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments…He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him…Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.”
John 14:15, 21, 23-24
Keeping His commandments…this is impossible…or is it?
How Does This Apply To Us Today?
Have you ever tried to quit something you know you should? I mean, you gave it your best shot. You said, “I’ll stop doing x tomorrow afternoon.” On the other hand, have you ever tried to start doing something you know you should? I mean, you’re really intent on doing y, and you said, “I’ll start tomorrow morning…” At some point, we’ve all done this. Now, that can apply to any realm–health, fitness, eating, study, work-habits, etc. But, what about when we apply this to the spiritual realm? What about walking the Christian walk? You know there are things you should stop doing. Take for example gossip. Isn’t it easy to share something about someone? What about gluttony? Isn’t it easy to overindulge on just about anything? What about lust? The porn industry is in the “B’s” of dollars. Unreal. What about doing the things you know you should be doing? For example, are you loving to your co-workers? Are you blessing your enemies? Praying for those who persecute you? My goodness, for some out there, if you’re cut off in traffic, you’re ready to start a war right there on the road. And on, and on. The reality is, we all don’t meet standards, and we all can’t keep standards–especially when they apply to the standard’s of God. But, does that mean we should quit before we start? Of course not!
So, how do we obey Jesus’ command knowing that we prove our love to Him in our obedience to His Word?
- Jesus said something so profound, so incredible, so wonderful, so promising as He was giving this command that sheds light into this question…
- ” I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever…the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” John 14:16, 26
- Jesus, knowing that we would fail–just as the Israelites of old failed, made a promise that Someone would be our helper. This Helper would be in His people, would be with His people, would teach His people, and would bring to remembrance all the things He said to His people.
- And so, without a Helper, we can’t obey…not like we’re supposed to. Therefore, without the Helper we can’t love Christ as we ought. Humbling. The Holy Spirit’s work, then, in the life of God’s people is to empower them to obey, to remain faithful, and to live a life investing in the Kingdom of God. This isn’t something we can accomplish outside of His help. Thus, we live dependent upon Him. Glory! We live dependent upon our God, and therefore we prove our love of God. Hearing…obeying…because we have believed in faith that God’s Son is our only hope to love Him.
Are you living dependent upon Him? If not, why not…?
— June 15, 2018