If you carefully observe all these commands
I am giving you to follow
—to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him
and to hold fast to him—
then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you,
and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.
Deuteronomy 11:22-23
How easy it is to deem the Old Testament as all about law and legalism, and the New Testament as love and mercy. At best this is shortsighted and at worst, heretical. Our God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament. Like two sides of the same coin, He is righteous and just, as well as loving and merciful.
We are often put off by the Old Testament – finding it easy to paint with a broad legalistic brush. But to do this would miss the depth of the love of God. His loving provision and faithfulness to His people in ancient times should prompt both praise and gratefulness from His modern-day people.
Deuteronomy is a second telling of the law. Moses, who faithfully loved and led God’s chosen people for over 40 years, wanted to remind them of everything they needed to know and remember as they prepared to cross the Jordan River and claim the land promised to them. Like a parent sending a child off to college, Moses could not go with them. They would fight battles without him, they would see things he would not see, and live where he would not live.
Can you sense the urgency in his words to prepare them? He stressed three points to them in the above passage:
- Love the Lord your God
- Walk in obedience to His commands
- Hold fast to Him
Love, obey, and hold fast. Good advice then. And still good advice now.
Moses reminded them of the blessings that would roll back upon them: victory over enemies larger and stronger than themselves. Claiming the Promised Land meant defeating seasoned warriors and taking down fortified cities.
The Israelites who left Egypt were slaves. Brick makers. Ill-equipped for war. Their descendants were desert dwellers whose daily bread, meat, and water had been faithfully provided by God. If an ancient sportscaster created a tournament bracket for warring nations, Israel would be last seed. No way would anybody anticipate these guys defeating the “giants” living in the land. Most of the Israelites themselves didn’t think it was possible. (That’s the reason an entire generation missed out on seeing it happen!)
But with God, anything and everything is possible. God can work with a man or a woman who loves and obeys Him — a man or woman who chooses to HOLD FAST to Him.
What “giants” need to be conquered in your life? What job is too much for you? Are you facing something that is more than you can handle?
It’s not the size of your enemy or the magnitude of the task … but the God who goes with you that determines the outcome!
Oh, dear one – the words from Moses to the people then are the same ones we need to hear and heed today: love God, obey God, and hold fast to God!
He was with them then. He is with us now! Hallelujah! Glory to His Name!
“I hold fast to your statutes, Lord;
do not let me be put to shame.”
At first reading, the beginning of Psalm 119:31 seems unrelated to the latter portion. But as we write, pray, and think about what David wrote, we see a clearer connection between God’s Word and avoiding shame. We invite you to watch as Laura teaches on this “hold fast” verse in this week’s devotional video:
We are just getting started on our new May Write the WORD bookmark: HOLD. We hope you will join us … print your copy here.
