Deuteronomy 7:9-10–God is Faithful to Keep Covenant

Deuteronomy 7:9-10–"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations, and repays to their face those who hate Him, by destroying them.  He will not be slack with one who hates Him.  He will repay Him to His face."

This passage is so often chopped-up with the second half, the bit about God repaying to the face those who hate Him, so often left out.  But we should not be quick to ignore the heart of this passage: God keeps covenant.  This means that He is bound to bless those who keep His covenant in love and equally-bound to destroy those who hate Him.  God's faithfulness is about His commitment to keep His promises.  We should not be surprised that His faithfulness demands that He do all that He has promised.  So, while this passage may be a difficult pill to swallow, it speaks all the more to God's holiness, His majesty, and His great faithfulness.  Let us not be quick to forget this as we sing songs of His faithfulness.

Deut. 6:4-5–Love The Lord

Deuteronomy 6:4-5–"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."

This is, in many ways, the very quintessence of Christianity.  It represents the very core, the central teaching and commandment of Christ.  There is such a tendency to conceive of Christianity as merely another religion full of rituals and dogma, but I submit that the real pivot, the essential hinge on which the whole of Christianity rests is a matter of love.  In fact, the most important question that any person must ask is a simple but convicting one: do I love God?

It would seem that this is of utmost importance to God just as it should be for us too...

Deut. 13:4–Commands to Revere

Deuteronomy 13:4–"It is the Lord your God you must follow, and Him you must revere.  Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him."

Quite plainly, this is a direct command for us to follow, to revere, and to obey God.  It is unequivocal and clear; there is no ambiguity.  We are called, all of us, to a life of obedience and reverence, that we would live a life deferent and penitent to the Holy Lord is the goal for every believer.  Needless to say, this verse would be altogether impossible to accomplish if not for the indwelling, empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.  Because of this truth, we should be ever praying that God would empower us so that we could commit to loving the Lord completely and with reverence.