Alive for a Purpose
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 contains one of the most quoted passages in all of the Old Testament. Verse 5 shares the greatest Commandment. But what about the warnings of God found here?
1. Do not forget the Lord…(vs. 12) just like the Israelites, we are prone to forget about God in places where we can rely on our own strength for daily living. Forgetting God is more a moral issue than about forgetfulness. The practice of spiritual disciplines (reading the Word, going to church, prayer, daily devotions, etc.) reminds us of the God we serve.
2. No other gods…(vs. 14-15) Anything that captures our attention greater than God runs the danger of becoming our primary God. Keep a singular focus on Christ through worship.
3. Do not put the Lord to the test…(vs. 17). This refers to acts of willful disobedience against God.
The warnings of Chapter 6 can be overcome by doing one thing: Fearing the Lord! (vs. 2, 13, 16) This means having a reverence for God like a little child has for their earthly father and mother. Spiritual disciplines provide constant reminders of God’s grace, worship keeps our focus on Jesus, and obedience strengthens our dependency on the Holy Spirit.
Are you spiritually alive? We should never keep our focus solely on the warnings of God, rather, knowing the warnings of God keeps us from becoming lukewarm and stale in our everyday focus on Jesus. Jesus is alive and well, and wants to keep you fruitful in every good work (John 15:16).
Jason Marshall