Tag: God’s Commands

God’s Commands are Near to Us

The commandments of God are not difficult to know. But they may be challenging to perform.

11 “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 ESV

The commandments of God are not difficult to know. But they may be challenging to perform. We too often confuse the two. The more we grow in our understanding of what God has desired, the greater our ability to live in God’s will and under God’s blessing.

The passage here is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, in the passage, we are reminded that we spend too much time trying to hear from God something new. But, we overlook and even diminish what God has already said. We should not be constantly asking God to speak some new insight or revelation for our lives. We should rather be looking at what has already been said, and ask, “Is this reality present in my life today?” An additional question we could ask is this: “How consistently am I living this reality out?”

the second reason this passage is interesting is it identifies where these commandments are (or should be!). The commandments are “in your mouth and in your heart.” Wow!

I don’t know about you, but that really convicts me. Is this true in my life? Is this true OF my life?

If God’s commandments are not in my mouth or in my heart can I honestly say that I am living as I should? I know this may not make us feel comfortable, but maybe that’s the point. We should be convicted by this.

Not for one second do I believe this is supposed to make us feel bad. But it might. And if it does, we should not run from it. We should ask ourselves, why? Why do I continue doing what I know is not helping draw me closer to God? There may be a million reasons. Only you know yours.

A final thought about this passage is that it clearly details what we should be doing and why. But it also helps us to understand the promises attached to our obedience. When we understand our part in hearing and doing what God commands we will feel and experience the nearness of God.

The link between obedience and our growing awareness of God’s presence can be missed if we are not careful. It is in obedience that we know God is near. Why? Because our obedience is how God knows we are serious about our relationship with him. He doesn’t forsake when we falter. But, when we obey, all the other distractions are removed so we can more fully experience how near God really is.

The Beautiful Lightness of God’s Commands

When we are able to see God’s words as if for the first time, there is a freshness to them, and a refreshing by them, that we can experience.

My Bible reading group has been reading through 1 John this week. There have been several times this week where I have felt as if I was seeing these words for the first time. It has been refreshing and convicting.

When we are able to see God’s words as if for the first time, there is a freshness to them, and a refreshing by them, that we can experience. I was really made away of the way that John calls us to a deep and consistent obedience of God’s commands. God has said so much, more than we can every really accomplish. But, we are called to obey each and every one of these commands. Not just the ones that are easy, but especially the ones that are hard.

This is where the conviction comes in. I was convicted by the fact of how easy it is for me rely on my own strength, my own abilities and wisdom, to accomplish what can only be done by the enabling of the Holy Spirit. The call of God to obey his commands is not made to the fallen sinner. It is made to the redeemed and Spirit-filled saint.

Are all people under the burden of the commands of God? Are all people, whether saved or lost, responsible conform their lives to the reality of a living God? Yes, on both counts. The issue is that the weight of this reality will feel differently. Or at least it should. This is what I was convicted of this week. I had lost sight of the lightness of God’s commands because I had not really been relying on God’s enabling power like I should have.

Let’s stop a moment and look and what John said:

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3 ESV)

His commands are NOT burdensome. I really had to stop and take that one in this week.

If you are feeling the weight of God’s commands in your life, it may be time to stop and do a check on your obedience. When we are living out the reality of the Gospel in our lives by trusting in the enabling power of God’s Spirit, we are living on our own power. Every single time we do this we are doomed to reach the end of our own strength faster than we want to believe. We are not able to obey God on our own. And the truth of it is we are not supposed to do.

The primary reason the commands of God are not burdensome is because the one who bore our burdens has told us that our yoke is in reality his yoke, and that his yoke is easy. And his burden is light (Matthew 11:30). We need to stop pretending that we having this life all figured out. We need to stop trying to squeeze joy out of every cell of our bodies.

Joy is not something that we can manufacture in our own abilities. Joy is the byproduct of our souls rejoicing in the wonder, beauty, and power of the Gospel. That is where joy is found. And the way we tap into that fountain of joy is by trusting in God to give us the power and the will and the strength to do his will. That is the attitude of a child of God.

Look at what the apostle Paul said to the Philippians about their obedience.

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13 ESV, emphasis added)

If we have to muster up the strength to keep our obeying the commands of God, we are seeking for help from the wrong place. Of that there can be no doubt.

Exit mobile version
%%footer%%