and he said to them: “Set your hearts on all the words
which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be
careful to observe—all the words of this law. For it is not a futile thing for
you, because it is your life, and by this word you shall prolong your days in
the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess.” – Deuteronomy 32.46-47
I have been a bit surprised by how often the words of
God are referred to in the book of Deuteronomy and about how applicable there
are for the day. A lot of the things said here could very well be said in the
church age. The age of Law, despite its firm set of rules and regulations still
said a lot about the heart and about the word of God.
‘Set your hearts on all the words I testify…’ It
wasn't good enough to just keep the letter of the Law – obedience had to come
from the heart.
Setting our hearts is a choice we ought to make when
we are first believers, but it is a choice we need to make every single day and
indeed many times a day.
Part of the problem is that there are plenty of places
to set our hearts today. There is politics or sports or family or all kinds of
things that are not, by nature, bad things. The are also evil things that draw
our hearts’ attention. We need to decide what we are going to pay heed to.
This verse reminds me of the verse in Colossians that
says ‘if you are risen with Christ set you affection on things above…’
I also like the reason for this – ‘this is not a
futile thing – this is your life – and in it you will prosper.’ Everything else
is comparatively futile, vain, and empty.
Take heed to the word of God. It is our life.
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