Sunday 10 January 2016

Set your heart on the words

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. 

No comments: