Title: Serious Love/Topic: Loving God

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 13; Deuteronomy 14; Deuteronomy 15; Galatians 1

Scripture: Deuteronomy 13:1-11
1 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, 2 and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. 5 That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way the LORD your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.
6 If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods" (gods that neither you nor your fathers have known, 7 gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), 8 do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. 9 You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people. 10 Stone him to death, because he tried to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 11 Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.

Observation/Application: Loving God is a serious matter. We are not to let any spiritual authority entice us away from God, even if that person performs miracles or prophesies correctly. We are not to put our closest family members before God. What does that mean? I think it means that if a loved one turns from God or is making choices that are in a direction away from the Lord, we cannot in any way give our approval to such actions. Not even if it means giving up relationship with them. If we see them suffering because of their decisions, we must not rescue them unless we see that there is repentance involved. This is hard stuff. But the consequences of not loving God above all else are devastating. Death and destruction, poverty, disease, and servitude to cruel people all resulted when either individuals or the entire nation of Israel put others ahead of God. The Lord's instruction here seems harsh but it is given to protect them from heartache and destruction.

Prayer: Father, help us all to put you first, even when it requires painful decisions such as disconnecting from loved ones who are choosing to walk away from you. May you bless each of us individually and corporately as we do.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.