Are You Up for the Task?

~~~ Deuteronomy 26:16-19 ~~~ Psalm 119 ~~~ Matthew 5:43-48 ~~~

Today you are making this agreement with the LORD:
he is to be your God and you are to walk in his ways
and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees,
and to hearken to his voice.

 

And today the LORD is making this agreement with you:
you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you;
and provided you keep all his commandments,
he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory
above all other nations he has made,
and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God,
as he promised.”

 

The passage from the book of Deuteronomy today contained such an important message for us.

 I included most of the text here for you to read.

 

In this agreement we have entered into with God we have agreed to

'hearken to his voice'

that is we have agreed to listen to what God is saying to us personally.

It is imperative that we keep our ears and our hearts open to be receptive.

If you do not have your computer connected to the internet you will not have access to your emails;

it is the same with God. You must turn on your connection with God

in order to hear his voice.

 

In return for doing our part God agrees that we will be sacred to him.

We will be holy.

We will be drawn to him and held close to him.

We will be dedicated to him. We will be set apart for him.

Objects are often considered sacred if they are used for a spiritual purpose.

Wow! Are you letting God use you for a holy purpose?

Or are you just stumbling along with each passing day in a state of 'whatever'?

We have a tendency these days to over use this compound word...

whatever.

If we are set apart as sacred for God himself...can never be business as usual...

it can never be viewed as 'whatever'.

 

This is so awe inspiring and humbling to think that God,

 the creator of the universe,

would offer this to us as part of his agreement.

 

 

So it follows the if we are sacred to God then we must constantly be about improving ourselves...

trying to have a closer relationship with him.

 

Matthew writes about being perfect in his Gospel.

Being perfect literally is out of our realm of possibility,

 but remaining close to God is the best way to make a genuine attempt.

So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

 One of the most challenging components of being holy and perfect for God is...

to pray for those who persecute you

 

This is so hard when your natural tendency is the total opposite reaction.

It is most difficult when a real situation arises, when you must stop yourself...

when you must remind yourself...

I have been set apart as sacred by God himself.

What exactly is the 'perfect' response?

You and I know the answer is always

LOVE.

Lord, give me the desire in my heart to pray for those whom

 I feel do not deserve my prayers.

Pray for those you find hard to love.

Pray for those who find it hard to love you.

(Oops, yes they might be out there.)

You are sacred to the Lord...hold it dear to your heart.