For Our Own Good

For Our Own Good                              October 3, 2021

“So the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today.” (Deuteronomy 6:24)

“And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep His commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your own good?” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13)

Who wants to follow rules when you don’t like them?  Perhaps you remember such times as a child growing up in your family.  There were things your parents permitted you to do and there were things you could not do.  Those were the rules whether you liked them or not.  And if you were going to live in that house then you had to follow the rules set out by your parents. 

Similarly, the children of Israel had rules and commandments they had to follow if they wanted to please their heavenly Father.  They needed to fear (hold God in awe and respect) God, walk in all His ways, love and serve Him and keep His commandments and statutes.  But what if they didn’t want to keep the requirements of their Father?  What if they just wanted to do their own thing?

In both of the scriptures above it mentions that there was not one commandment of God that Israel needed to follow that was not designed to be beneficial for them.  In other words, following and obeying God was not just about rule keeping.  They were designed by God, their Father, to be a great blessings to if they followed and obeyed them.  It was for their own good always and not only that but for their survival as well.  Sometimes we may not see the wisdom behind our parents rules.  We may have seen them only as being overly strict.  However, I’d like to think that they had your own interests in mind and your future.

When studying the Bible it doesn’t take too long before one discovers that there are many rules that God expects them to follow.  But not one of those rules they need to follow is not in their best interest.  So, obey every rule of God with all your heart so that you can enjoy life to the fullest.

Brian Thompson