Deuteronomy 10:12,13 – “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 and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?”
Five requirements of the Lord:
1. “Fear the Lord your God” – To hold God in reverence and respect is for all God’s people in all ages. This will enable us to keep Him in the center of all we do.
2. “Walk in all His ways” – Isaiah declares that His ways are higher than ours. Sometimes we may not understand the “ways” and “whys” of God, but we are called to trust Him and walk in His ways. He knows what He’s doing.
3. “Love Him” – It is very clear from the recent OYB devotionals that God desires to bless us and that is why He instructs us to obey Him. But we have also learned that He loves us and that is why He has chosen us. Love is His motivation and should also be ours.
4. “Serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” – There is no room for half-hearted Christianity in the kingdom of God. Paul gives us similar instruction in the New Testament, that whatever we do we should do it with everything that is in us. After all, doesn’t God deserve our very best?
5. “Keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord” – The rest of that verse says, “which I am commanding you today for your good.” Again we see God’s heart is to bless us. Obeying the word of God is for our good.
When you think about it these are more like privileges we have rather than requirements-wouldn’t you agree?