Tuesday, 8th August 2023
Andrews Ampomah
TOPIC: WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE OF YOU – PT1
THEME SCRIPTURE: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?” – Deuteronomy 10:12-13
PREPARATORY QUESTIONS:
- What does it mean to fear the Lord?
God, in delivering the 10 commandments to the people of Israel from Mount Sinai, unveiled His presence through thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the smoke that enveloped the mountain. Bible records indicate that the Israelites were afraid, trembled, and stood afar from the mountain (Exodus 20:18). Moses in responding to their plea to mediate between them and God said: “…Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin (Exodus 20:20).”
The essence of that fearful presence on Mount Sinai was to leave an enduring image of God’s terror before their eyes and hearts so they will not drift to sin.
Everything we see around us today seems to suggest a waning sense of reverence for the Lord among contemporary Christians. The profound sense of awe and honor that the Old Testament Saints had for God appears to have diminished these days. Our approach to God and His worship seems to have become casual and cavalier. Even during worship services, there are various instances of behaviors that demonstrate a lack of respect toward God. The post-modern Christian seems to misunderstand what grace is, and or what Christ’s death in reconciling us to God means.
We forget that God is as fierce in extending His grace as in His wrath towards us.
The fear of God is a recurring theme in the book of Deuteronomy. Our focus text reminds us that God also has things He requires from us: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God…?” In both this context and Exodus 20:20, the reference is not a servile fear, but rather a filial fear. The term "servile" originates from the Latin word "servus," meaning servitude. It conveys the fear a slave holds toward a harsh master, rooted in punishment rather than love. On the other hand, "filial" is derived from "filius" and "filia," meaning son and daughter respectively. Filial fear entails the deep respect that exists between children and their fathers, motivating them to earnestly seek their father's approval. God desires us to exhibit absolute reverential fear in our relationship with Him.
While Christ's death has granted us access to God through grace, God also expects us to show reverence and honor if so be that He is our father. This reverential fear guides us away from trifling with sin and compels us to walk in holiness.
Beloved in Christ, God's expectations of us extend beyond exploiting grace and assuming a casual demeanor devoid of respect for His divine nature. Recognizing that the God of the Old Testament remains the same in the New Testament, it is incumbent on you to live in the fear of God, both in private and in the public space. Ecclesiastes beautifully summarizes this in its conclusion: “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man – Ecclesiastes 12:13.”
FURTHER READING – Exodus 20
Call to Salvation: Today is your day if you have not received salvation by turning over your life to Jesus Christ. Click here to do so
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU MEDITATE ON THE WORD:
- How conscious are you in ensuring you walk in the reverential fear of God both privately and publicly?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, help me by your Holy Spirit never to lose consciousness of how important it is to reverence the Holy God. Let your reverence in my heart influence my worship and my way of life in bringing glory to You alone through Christ Jesus Who strengthens me. Amen.
1-Year Bible Reading Plan
1 Kings 2; Jeremiah 29; Mark 3
Comments powered by CComment