Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking him to meet you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.
You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did at Baal Peor. The Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today.
See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?
– Deuteronomy 4:1-8
Devotion
The decrees and laws referred to above were the Word of God, and they were complete. Is it possible that any human being could edit God’s perfect laws with the limited wisdom and knowledge we possess? To add to the laws it would make them a burden, to take away from the laws would then make them incomplete. These laws from God were to remain unchanged. Changing the laws would be like assuming a position of authority over God.
What a great opportunity Israel had if they had just observed the laws God gave them! In observing Israel’s obedience, other nations would say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” The other nations would also see their relationship with the true God and agree with Moses that “what other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him”? Israel would have been the envy of the world and they would have been able to influence the other nations in a profound way. God’s plan was to bless the nation of Israel and others through them.
The Big Question
How many times do we play around with God’s laws? Is it true that even in the gray areas of our life, we often like to manipulate the rules to fit what we want?
What are some ways you can become more obedient to God and receive his blessings for your life? How could that impact those who are closest to you?
Conclude in prayer and silence reflecting on what you’ve learned.