ESOCS Devotional 17 June 2023
MEMORY VERSE: “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever”. Deuteronomy 5:29
TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 5:22-33
“These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.
23 “So it was, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders. 24 And you said: ‘Surely the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he stilllives. 25 Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore, then we shall die. 26 For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 27 You go near and hear all that the Lord our God may say, and tell us all that the Lord our God says to you, and we will hear and do it.’
28 “Then the Lord heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken. 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! 30 Go and say to them, “Return to your tents.” 31 But as for you, stand here by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I am giving them to possess.’
32 “Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 33 You shall walk in all the ways which the Lordyour God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
Our text today shows how Moses was reminding the people of their encounter with God and their subsequent decision to accept all that Moses would bring back to them as an intermediary between them and God. But, the statement made in verse.29 (memory verse) sounds like a statement of doubt; that the people made a promise to Moses, but had another thing in their hearts. God looks beyond the outward and that’s why He is God. He sees the heart of everyone.
What one says or professes may not matter to God. What is in the heart and what one plans to do will always matter to God, because that determines who the person really is (Prov. 23:7).
The blessings of those with hearts that fear God were revealed to the people.
That centres of worship across the world today are overflowing is not in doubt. That people are professing to fear God today is not in doubt. What is in doubt is what we really have in our hearts. Proverbs 23: 7b says, “…he may be offering you food and drink, but his heart is not with you.” This amounts to saying one thing and thinking another.
The man with a heart that truly fears God will do what he says and knows is good/right. The heart that fears God will respect and submit to leaders and constituted authorities (Rom. 13:1-2). The heart that fears God will keep God’s commandments (Vs. 32).
The benefits of fearing God whole – heartedly are countless. Some of the benefits are as follows:
- It makes for prolonged life (v 33).
- It is always well with them that fear God heartily.
- It is always well with their children forever (vs. 29).
- Do you truly fear God in your heart? God sees your heart
- Lord God, give me the heart to fear you and do your will always in Jesus name, Amen.
FURTHER READING: Ezekiel 33:21– 33; Mark 14:53– 65; Acts 7:37–53
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ESOCS Devotional 17 June 2023
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