THINK TOGETHER
Can you name something you do that is good for you?
READ TOGETHER
When God repeats something you know it is very important to him. Just two days ago we read from Deuteronomy chapter 6 that God told his people to love him with all their hearts. Now, here in Deuteronomy chapter 10, God is saying it again. Listen:
Deuteronomy 10:12-13. 12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?
In fact, God tells us a lot about how to relate to him here in Deuteronomy 10.
- First, we are supposed to “fear” God. This means we should respect God and be amazed by how awesome and great he is. We should always take God seriously.
- Next, God tells us to “walk in his ways.” This means we should try to live in a way that pleases God, by being kind, and helpful, and fair to everyone.
- Then God tells us again to “love” him. We should want to be with God and make him happy.
- Next comes “serving” God. We show our love for God by taking care of all the things that God loves. Not just our family and friends, but everyone and everything.
- And finally, God tells us to “keep his commandments.” God gives us rules to obey that show us how to love and serve him and others. Rules like don’t lie, cheat, or steal. Or rules like be kind to your neighbors and always be fair.
And then God tells us that all these rules are “for our good.”
Everything God has ever said, and everything that God has ever done has been for our good. Every rule God gives us, every commandment, everything he asks us to do is for our good. How? Because it all teaches us how to be good. It is all for our good because it makes us good. Loving God, serving God, living your life for God is what makes us the way God wants us to be – good, and kind, and sharing, and helpful, and happy, and good.
But like we’ve said before, there’s a big problem with our list – fear God, walk with God, love God, serve God, obey God – nobody can do all these things. This list that is for our good is actually impossible to do isn’t it? Nobody can always fear God, and love God, and serve God, can they? Why? Because all of us is a sinner who would rather do what we want to do, instead of what God wants us to do.
And that’s why Jesus came to save us. Jesus is the one and only person who did everything in Deuteronomy 10:12-13 perfectly. Jesus feared God all the time. Jesus walked in God’s ways constantly. Jesus loved God with all his heart and soul. Jesus never failed to serve God. Jesus obeyed God without any mistakes.
When we believe that Jesus has done everything God wants FOR us, we are then able to know that God loves us no matter what. And when we know God loves us no matter what we can now finally love, and fear, and serve, and obey him for our good.
Because of Jesus we can fear, and love, and serve God.
With Jesus we know that God does everything for our good.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Here’s a fun song about listening to God and obeying him.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
You came to earth for our good, to be good for us and to show us how to be good. Help me to trust that you did everything right, and that now God loves me no matter what.
Amen.
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