Beyond The Moment!

Prior to Moses’ death -- as he was preparing the people of Israel for entrance into the promised land -- he reminded them of the commands God had given on the mountain and the favorable response of the people at that time.

The people had told Moses…
“Go near and hear all that the LORD our God will say and speak to us all that the LORD our God will speak to you, and WE WILL HEAR AND DO IT.” ( Deuteronomy 5:27 ESV)

How admirable! How proper! How right! That is the kind of resolve the Lord seeks from His people. Moses noted the Lord heard those words and that they were right to have spoken in this way. ( Deuteronomy 5:28) However, consider the next statement of God.

We read…
“OH THAT THEY HAD SUCH A MIND AS THIS ALWAYS, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!” ( Deuteronomy 5:29 ESV)

There is the great need. This is the desire of God and the resolve that needs to CONTINUALLY mark our life even today. How many times have we heard the teaching of the moment, felt good about it and committed to it, but the commitment did not last? How often can moments of our life be categorized like the seed that fell among the rocks which sprang up quickly, but soon withered because it had no root? ( Matthew 13:5-6, 20-21) It is good when we hear the teaching of truth that inspires us toward recommitment to obedience and actions of faith, but we also need to allow the compelling power of God’s Word to take root deep within us or such inspiration will only be short lived. To CONTINUE in obedience reflects how deep the commands have been allowed to take root and impact our life.

Many times we read of the nation of Israel walking away and forgetting God’s commands. James also described such action as he urged his readers to be not hearers of the word only, but doers of it as well. ( James 1:22-24) Let us not be hearers who forget ( James 1:25), but those who CONTINUE to remember and put into action the commands God has given. This is the mind God desires us to possess always so that things might go well with us! May this mind be CONTINUALLY reflected in the actions of our life!

Have a great day TRANSLATING GOD’S PRINCIPLES INTO PERSISTENT PRACTICE!
Carl

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