Deuteronomy 11:8-32
Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 11:8–32
Have you ever had your child tell you they love you, then a few minutes later they’re fighting with their sibling? Parenting taught a great lesson for me on the intimate connection between love and obedience. If you love me, you’ll share my heart. If you betray my heart by “hating” something I love or “loving” something I hate, do you really love me? True love requires an alignment of values.
Likewise, true obedience requires a values adjustment. You cannot maintain a lifestyle of obedience if your heart never conforms to the one you’re obeying. To put this another way, a man much smarter than me said, “People don’t do what they believe. They do what they value.”
You can act on your beliefs for a while, but it won’t last. As an illustration, I can believe that God wants me to tell the truth, but I truly become an honest person when my heart aligns with God as the Author of Truth and distance myself from Satan as the Father of Lies. My motivation for honesty then is to reflect my Heavenly Father, rather than performance or acceptance. I’m not going to lie if I think I can get away with it, to spare feelings, or to make me look good—because lying would be to “love” something that God hates. I’m not obeying because God said “to not to,” I’m obeying because I want to share God’s heart of honesty in my dealings with others.
Deuteronomy 11:1 commanded Israel to love God. Therefore, “keeping the whole commandment,” must be sourced in that love. It’s the love of God leading to obedience that should be passed down from generation to generation. God showed both the carrot and the stick of obedience, illustrating the blessing and curses that follow obedience or disobedience.
Sometimes reading these kinds of, “do what I say and it will go well with you,” it can appear petty at first blush. However, it’s not at all. Hebrews 12 illustrates the point that “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.” Not only that, living in line with God’s heart brings blessing—not only as a reward, but often as a consequence of wise living. God wants the best for us, he is the best for us, he wants us to want him for our good and His glory.
Sometimes the “blessing and curse” of obedience or disobedience is simply a part of God’s providential design of the world. It’s a natural outflow of how God ordered the world—when we do it his way it goes better. When we don’t, it doesn’t go well with us. Additionally, if we don’t, God will often bring correction to those He loves as a good father does a wandering child.
Hard Questions:
What motivates your obedience? Is it potential reward, or God’s character and your love for Him?
Where does your sin and falling short illustrate a heart not fully consumed by love?
What are the children in your life receiving from you about loving God? Is it consistent, devoted or inconsistent and performative?
How does this passage encourage or challenge your current practice of family discipleship?
Written By: Tyler Short
Have you ever had your child tell you they love you, then a few minutes later they’re fighting with their sibling? Parenting taught a great lesson for me on the intimate connection between love and obedience. If you love me, you’ll share my heart. If you betray my heart by “hating” something I love or “loving” something I hate, do you really love me? True love requires an alignment of values.
Likewise, true obedience requires a values adjustment. You cannot maintain a lifestyle of obedience if your heart never conforms to the one you’re obeying. To put this another way, a man much smarter than me said, “People don’t do what they believe. They do what they value.”
You can act on your beliefs for a while, but it won’t last. As an illustration, I can believe that God wants me to tell the truth, but I truly become an honest person when my heart aligns with God as the Author of Truth and distance myself from Satan as the Father of Lies. My motivation for honesty then is to reflect my Heavenly Father, rather than performance or acceptance. I’m not going to lie if I think I can get away with it, to spare feelings, or to make me look good—because lying would be to “love” something that God hates. I’m not obeying because God said “to not to,” I’m obeying because I want to share God’s heart of honesty in my dealings with others.
Deuteronomy 11:1 commanded Israel to love God. Therefore, “keeping the whole commandment,” must be sourced in that love. It’s the love of God leading to obedience that should be passed down from generation to generation. God showed both the carrot and the stick of obedience, illustrating the blessing and curses that follow obedience or disobedience.
Sometimes reading these kinds of, “do what I say and it will go well with you,” it can appear petty at first blush. However, it’s not at all. Hebrews 12 illustrates the point that “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.” Not only that, living in line with God’s heart brings blessing—not only as a reward, but often as a consequence of wise living. God wants the best for us, he is the best for us, he wants us to want him for our good and His glory.
Sometimes the “blessing and curse” of obedience or disobedience is simply a part of God’s providential design of the world. It’s a natural outflow of how God ordered the world—when we do it his way it goes better. When we don’t, it doesn’t go well with us. Additionally, if we don’t, God will often bring correction to those He loves as a good father does a wandering child.
Hard Questions:
What motivates your obedience? Is it potential reward, or God’s character and your love for Him?
Where does your sin and falling short illustrate a heart not fully consumed by love?
What are the children in your life receiving from you about loving God? Is it consistent, devoted or inconsistent and performative?
How does this passage encourage or challenge your current practice of family discipleship?
Written By: Tyler Short
1 Comment
This passage also reminded me this morning that you simply don’t drift towards God. It takes an active pursuit with carefully thought out reminders. Incorporate God into everyday activities. Simple, small reminders, throughout your day will make a big difference overall.
Maybe strategically place a Bible verse where you’ll see it. Or everyday at dinner intentionally share a truth from scripture that applies to something in your kid’s life. Or listen to worship music in the car. Or read 5 minutes everyday.
Basically, have a plan. Doesn’t have to be complicated. Little things matter and add up.