Commanded!

And I command you today: Love God , your God. Walk in his ways. Keep his commandments, regulations, and rules so that you will live, really live, live exuberantly, blessed by God , your God, in the land you are about to enter and possess. Deuteronomy 30:16 MSG

In just 1 verse, 3 different actions are commanded from all who truly know God. It is one thing to make a claim to a particular lifestyle or thing, it is a different thing to truly live out the life as expected. That is focus of today's extract.

'Love God'. Simple sentence, but its application is complicated. We could claim to love God, but when he directs or instructs, are we quick to obey? When he says Go, do I do just that or do I argue the fine points of the instruction? 'Walk in his ways' tells me that there is a right path and a wrong path. God has his ways, and all who have subscribed to the first idea of love are required to also do this. 'Keep his commandments' is also a part of the balance I must keep if I am to truly live as God expects. Can I walk with someone if I do not agree with his principles, his standards and his priorities? Can I obey someone I do not truly know or someone to whom I have no single commitment?

This is the secret to the kind of life God really wants us to have. He wants us to live exuberantly, enjoying the fullness of all he is and has. However, note that you can only lay claim to these favours when you are rightly related - on the heart level. How is your heart? Is it fully committed to God or are there other considerations? His time of favour is here.