This morning I read through the part of Moses’ sermon to the Children of Israel as they were camped next to the Promised Land. He reminded this generation, which would be the ones to enter the land promised their forefather Abraham, that God had given them the right to choose their response to His invitation.
“I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.” [Deut 30:19-20 NIV]
He said if they chose life, they and their children would live and be blessed. Then Moses added three things that would be part of that life they chose. They would love the LORD their God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him.
What a beautiful picture of our life with the LORD God our Savior, Christ Jesus. It is one of love, obedience and faith.
They say the basics of life are food, water, air and light. Those may be the basics of physical life, but the greatest desire of our heart, I think, is to be loved and to love. We search for love (sometimes in all the wrong places). It drives us to seek out others who will allow us to love them and then love us back.
To know that we are called to a life that includes loving God is incredible. That blessing moves us to listen for and to God’s voice, the way someone listens to the words of a lover. It moves us to clink to Him in faith and loyalty.
Our relationship with the LORD God our Savior, Christ Jesus, meets us at the place of our deepest needs. It fills the yearning of our souls. I know He fills the yearning of mine.
