Reveration Blog
9/27/2014 God's ExpectationsMeditation Deuteronomy 10:12-14—And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you except to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, and to worship the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul? Keep the LORD’s commands and statutes I am giving you today, for your own good. The heavens, indeed the highest heavens, belong to the LORD your God, as does the earth and everything in it. Have you ever written out what your life expectations are? Often I encounter restless people who seem unsure of what they want. They flit from job to job, walk in and out of relationships and pursue adventures, yet life remains unfulfilling. Others I meet have clear expectations. They have goals for money, titles, possessions, and status. But once they reach their goals they find that all is not well, there is a sinking sense that there must be more to life. In the Old Testament, Moses, one of Israel’s greatest leaders, reveals for his countrymen God’s four expectations for them. First, they were to revere Him as evidenced by trying to live in accordance with His holiness. Second, they were to love Him. Third, they were to worship Him with all their being. Finally, they were to keep His commands—laws prescribed for their own welfare. Verses 12 and 13 are well known, but we miss a key concept if we stop there.
Moses reminds the Israelites in verse 14 that God owns them! This puts a powerful nuance behind why they should fulfill His will. A wise man (or woman) strives to please the owner lest he lose favor and possibly even his job. Certainly the Jews could not afford to displease God. “Well, I’m not an Israelite; Moses’ words do not apply to me.” Really? Doesn’t God still own everything—including you and me? Moreover, His Son Jesus validated His Father’s expectations and further commanded His disciples that they should extend His message to the entire world—for their own good and our own good. Would you agree that we couldn’t meet God’s expectations in our own strength? We disrespect Him. We put other things or people before our love for Him. We worship Him halfheartedly. We break His laws. Truly we needed a Savior to put our trust in who could not only show us how to accomplish God’s will, but also extend grace to us for our insufficiencies! The means to a fulfilled life are found in meeting God’s expectations. Anything less is settling for what will burn, what will cost, and what will hurt. Emptiness. Partial fulfillment. These are words associated with self-centered focus on misplaced desires. Fear God. Love Him. Worship Him. Obey Him. {See Nehemiah 1:5-11 to see these four expectations addressed}. Go beyond writing out your own expectations for life. Focus on God’s desire and then tailor what you believe He would have you do. This divine communion is the nectar that makes life sweet. Inspiration One who is enjoying God in an unspeakable degree has acquired a very refined taste and is not easily pleased by earthly things. He who has known this high state and who thenleaves his Lord and permits himself to be guilty of offenses against Him is one who sought Him only for His delightsand His goodness. We are wise to seek Him for Himself alone.—Jeanne Guyon in Final Steps in Christian Maturity ©2014 Daniel York ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause. If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box. Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice. Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth. (Holman CSB) Comments are closed.
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Photo from Rachel Maxey Miles