Famous Last Words
0 comments | Posted by Steven Layson on 06 Jul 2008 in From Steve's Study ::
There is any number of famous last words, from the ridiculous (like W C Fields’ “On the whole, I’d rather be in Philadelphia”), to the sublime (such as those of the 16th century martyr Latimer who said to his friend who was also being martyred alongside him, “Be of good comfort, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England as I trust shall never be put out.”).
Today begins our study of Moses’ Famous Last Words. The book of Deuteronomy is a series of three sermons that Moses delivers just before the Israelites enter the Promised Land. God has told him that he will not enter the land himself, so before he dies, he wants to remind the Israelites of all God has done for them – after all, the generation who lived through the Exodus and the giving of the law at Mt Sinai, has all died off. Moses wants to remind the people of God’s goodness and mercy towards them, but also of the dire effects of rebellion against the God who saved them.
In Deuteronomy 6, Moses sums up all the law in a couple of sentences, “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength”. Jesus too sites this as the greatest of all commandments. This is what our life is about … loving God.
But is God worthy of our love? As we look back at all that he did for the Israelites, the answer would have to be a resounding “Yes”, but even more so when we consider the extent of his love shown to us in his Son. He has held nothing back from us, to give us the opportunity to experience eternal life with him (life the Psalmist describes as eternal pleasures at your right hand – Psalm 16:11).
To what extent should we love him? We everything we have – heart (the seat of the will), soul (our very essence) & strength (every breath and action). There is no part of our life that should not be devoted to the love of God.
Does this describe your attitude towards God? Are there things in your life that supplant God’s rightful place? The Christian life and been described as a house with many rooms – each representing a different are of our lives. As we grow in Christian maturity, we must open up all the room of our life to let the fresh air of God’s Spirit come in and devote them to the love of God.
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