Treasure and Treasured
Follow the lord’s commands…
'The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him. And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.' Deuteronomy 26:16-19
how amazing that the God of the universe, creator of all Heaven and earth, would choose us as His people, His treasured possession. all He wants us to do is commit ourselves to following Him, His decrees and laws. we need to do so with our hearts, our mouths, and through our actions.
some people have a problem with passages like this because it doesn’t align with how they want to live or the current social norms. they then complain about how ‘oppressive’, offensive, demeaning, etc. these “rules” of living are to justify their lives and why no one should ever follow them.
i believe that if you don’t have a foundation to begin with, you have nothing to stand on. like a house built on bedrock that remains through the storm, or one that was built on sand that gets washed away - matthew 7:24-27. or, if you are into sports - a game is only as good as the rules which we must play by or there would simply be chaos. if we allowed everyone to do whatever they want, how do you think that will go?
choosing to follow and obey what the Word of God teaches is the rock (luke 6:47-49) that we must build our lives on. allowing us not to be swayed to and fro when the challenges and difficulties in life come. if we don’t, we will live in confusion and disarray, let alone the worst part - apart from Him.
while i am still hoping that breakthroughs will happen for sachi, yujin, my dad and brother, that they would know you, Jesus, as their Lord and Savior. though not perfect in my pursuit, i have committed myself and our home to follow and that i will keep all that you have commanded me/us.
dear Heavenly Father, continue to work on and in me and my family that i/we will follow you all the days of our lives. that your Word is the instructions i follow and not the whims and ways of this world. though i have failed in many ways and times, you are so good and faithful to rescue me/us. i ask for your hedge of protection on my family and i that we would center our lives on you, Lord Jesus, and to walk in your ways. in your mighty and beautiful name i pray, amen!