Deuteronomy 5:29  Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!

    

    People have, sometimes, a natural tendency to suspect the motives of one who is in authority over them. We shouldn’t be surprised. We see examples of this all the way back to the Garden of Eden! I remember numerous times with students where there was an insinuation that the reason I was expecting something from them, or prohibiting something of them, was for some personal gain on my part. Being human myself, I can’t say that there was never a grain of truth in that.

    In today’s verse, the Israelites are on the verge of finally entering the Promised Land. They turned a few-months-long trip into a forty-year-plus ordeal. Their performance review on this journey was not very good! They were constantly complaining, constantly murmuring. But here, on the doorstep of promise, they have a brief episode of obedience and trust. And God responds. His response is so telling! He longs for this sort of relationship with them long term. And He indicates why: “that it might be well with them and with their children forever!”

    Too many people have some mischaracterization of God that informs how they operate. Some think that He is so far away He doesn’t care about this little planet. Others think that He is vindictive, waiting to punish and judge. Still others have wished Him away, claiming godlike knowledge of their own that ‘he doesn’t exist.’ The reality is, He does exist, He does watch, and He does care that we follow His commandments. But not for the reasons we might assume. 

    When we break one of His commandments, He is not outraged or personally injured. God has no needs. We are not impoverishing Him by our actions or inactions. It is not out of any need that He wants our obedience. It is out of love. He knows us and He knows this world. Having created us, He is fully aware of what is best for us. And He does want what is best for us! 

    If you could see into the future might it affect how you acted today? Well, God can! And based upon His ability to see and His complete knowledge and infinite wisdom, He has given some commandments. What’s so amazing is that the commandments are given that “it might be well with us and our children forever!” That sounds like God’s motives are centered around His concern for us more than Himself. That sounds like love!

 

Blessings

Pastor Russ