The golden rules

Text: Therefore thou shall love the LORD thy God, and keep His charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, always. (Deut. 11:1)

Two things God cannot overlook in His relationship with humanity especially, His children, to love Him and to obey Him. Since God has called the Israelite into the journey of faith, the rules were explicitly stated as golden rules that would help them to maintain their relationship with God. When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is, He replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37.

Why was the Word always at the centre of Jesus preaching, as it was said by Moses to the Israelites? It is a necessity for every child of God to love Him because He is their Creator. God made us in His image because of His love towards us; we could have been made otherwise. Again, to love God shows the extent of our trust in Him alone. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God…” (Phil. 4:6-7a). Your trust in God reduces any anxiety posed by the circumstances around us. You can only trust the person you love because love is not harmful. To trust means to have confidence in, rest of mind on the integrity, veracity and friendship. In essence, if you trust in God, you will have confidence in Him and build a solid relationship with Him.

To keep His charge and His statutes are to obey Him completely. How can we obey God completely in this unholy environment where we are faced daily with trials and temptations? The person that disobeys God’s command is a sinner already. It is necessary for every child of God to obey Him, regardless of the situation. Similarly, obedience to God is a reflection of our love for Him. We can learn how to obey God through the reading and practising of the scriptures.

We can grow in obedience through sacrificial living. Paul admonishes the Romans church, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that ye present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)

Finally, to love God and obey His command is not a matter of choice, but compulsory for every child of God. Do you love Him passionately, and obey Him completely? Start today to love and to obey Him.

Rev Dr. Emmanuel Ojo, Christ the Rock Baptist Church, Mende, Maryland. 08034538413