Monday Musings - Hidden Treasure

My Bible reading plan has me walking straight through the Old Testament right now - mixed in with some New Testament readings and some Psalms.  I love the Old Testament, but reading Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy all in a row can be pretty challenging.  I think the Lord is having some fun with me by pointing out all the hidden treasures in these passages.  Here is a treasure I came across this week:

You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.  Deuteronomy 13:4

The Message puts it this way:
You are to follow only God, your God, hold him in deep reverence, keep his commandments, listen obediently to what he says, serve him—hold on to him for dear life! 

I think that if someone wrote us a prescription for life - this would be it.

FOLLOW * FEAR * OBEY * LISTEN * SERVE * CLING

Sounds simple enough - right?  What a treasure tucked away in Deuteronomy.  The essence of what it means to follow the Lord is right here.

Follow:  I want to follow Him with an attitude of humility and with the courage to take that next step.  It is so easy to find yourself following after something else.  I want to stay focused on following Him alone knowing that everything He has for me is on that path.

Fear:  I want to only fear Him with an attitude of reverence.  All the other things that I fear are just traps that keep me from only fearing the One who deserves my awe and reverence.  What if fear was only displayed in my life in this manner?  Wow - that would be so freeing.

Obey:  Ugghhh  What a challenge!  How I wish I would respond in obedience every single time.  Obedience to the Lord is always associated with blessing in my life.  Obeying His commandments brings JOY and PEACE.  An obedient life is a blessed life.  That tension and sorrow associated with sin and its consequences is gone and a life lived walking close to the Lord replaces it.  I want to choose this over and over again each day.

Listen:  Most of us are better talkers than we are listeners.  I want to learn more every day about listening to the Lord.  He is constantly whispering in my ear (and occasionally shouting) through the Spirit to guide me throughout the day.  When I am listening and then responding to His instructions -- those are the most amazing times of my life.  Never a dull moment when I listen to the Lord and respond in obedience (there's the O word again!)

Serve:  True joy is found in service to others.  Don't you just get sick of thinking about yourself?  I know I do.  To shift my focus on to others and their needs is such a JOY.  There is such a sweetness in serving the Lord and seeing others loved on by Him through my hands and feet.  In the book of James, he asks the question - What good is our faith without works?  I have to say, not much good.  Our faith must be exhibited by serving others or it can not have effect.

Cling:  This is probably my favorite instruction.  CLING  If I do this one thing, the others will more likely fall into place.  Above all, I must cling to the Lord every single day, in every single circumstance, in every decision, in every interaction and everything else that comes along.  I want to be stuck to Him like glue.  I want His righteousness to cover me so thoroughly that it is the Christ in me that is seen.

FOLLOW * FEAR * OBEY * LISTEN * SERVE * CLING

If someone gave you a prescription that would save your life, 

would you take it?  

Well, here it is . . .

Unlimited refills

Spirit empowered

Guaranteed results

Hidden treasure, indeed.