Feb 16

Deuteronomy 5-8

Deut 6:6-9 "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

During one visit with my parents, I noticed that my mom had made some changes around the house. One thing in particular was the trim around the doors. She had painted some designs and also several Bible verses on the trim. At first I thought it was merely just a creative way to decorate. Then she explained to me that the idea came to her through these verses in Deuteronomy. She had taken the words and commands of the Lord and written them on her doorframes so they would never be far from her mind.

In these chapters, Moses urges the people to obey God's commands and to teach them to the next generation. He is very clear about the benefits of following the Lord and the consequences of disobeying Him. I'm sure those of you who read through the Bible last year can remember the seemingly countless times God's people have turned away from Him and then suffered because of it. Those who disobeyed certainly cannot say they were not warned.

God wants us to keep His commands and words close by at all times. Keep them in your heart, impress them upon your children, talk about them in your home, tie them as symbols to your hands, write them on the doorframes of your home. God wants nothing more than to bless His children. He wanted to give the Israelites the promised land to live in. He wants all of His children to live joyful, abundant lives. But God is a holy God and will not stand by when His commands are not followed. The warning Moses gave the Israelites is one we should pay attention to as well. Make God the Lord of your life and you will be blessed!