Stay Close to the Word

Deuteronomy 6:1-9  These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, ² so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you.

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. 

God obviously intended for his people to be close to the Word and to make His decrees known in their new land beyond the Jordan river.  Of vital importance is God's insistence that His people are to be an example in word and in deed for their children and grandchildren.  

God wanted them and their future generations to know that He is God and wants his people to love Him completely. His words are to be upon their hearts. Look again at verses 7-9 and this time, read them aloud so that you can fully grasp how important this is to God.  What are the benefits of maintaining our closeness to the Word of God?  Here are a few:

1. Knowledge - There is always more for us to learn in reading and rereading scripture. But more than just learning with our minds, God wants us to learn and live through experiences brought about by being in relationship with Him.

2. Trust - As our relationship with God grows stronger, we come to trust in Him being a God who loves us and desires what is best for us. Knowledge of the word is useless if we do not trust God to give us the right ways to live.

3. Obedience - God stresses, "Be careful to obey."  This is the obedience that God promises will bring the best things for their lives, and the added increase  in their new land.

4. Child Training - God really does expect us to be the leader of our children, not only in a physical way, but especially in a spiritual way. When children receive this type of training and leadership in the home, God knows His Word and its effectiveness will live from generation to generation.

There are more benefits, and you would do well to look to the scripture reading again and again to see for yourself how those benefits relate to your personal life. God is telling all of us, "Stay close to the Word."

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