Remember, Know, Obey — Obey God

In Deuteronomy 4:32-40, Moses provides Israel with a pattern for following God that remains applicable to us today: Remember. Know. Obey. This guidance is still relevant to the way we live today. Let's look at the third part of the pattern.

Deuteronomy 4:32-40 highlights three essential aspects of our walk with God:

• Remember what God has done (verse 35) because His faithfulness is worth recalling and builds faith

• Know in your heart, not just your head, that He alone is Lord (verse 39)

• Obey His commandments (verse 40a) because they lead to life

Each aspect is both an instruction and an invitation to experience God’s faithfulness. The third aspect of following God that Moses taught in this passage is this:

Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I commanded you today. (Deuteronomy 4:40a)

Obey

Obeying God is more than being morally good since morality is subjective and changeable, and God's standards don't shift with time or according to situational nuances. Jesus is the living Word of God (John 1:1,14), and He "is the same yesterday today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).

True obedience stems from submission and surrender because we understand His Lordship and that He loves us immeasurably. We will submit and surrender more readily when we have a loving, trusting relationship with the One asking us to obey. This type of relationship comes from remembering what God has done for us and knowing Him better and better. We will struggle to obey and likely misinterpret God's instruction if we try to obey Him without also developing a relationship with Him.

Consider Jesus's words in John 14:15: “Loving me empowers you to obey my commands.” The Passion Translation (TPT)

According to the pattern laid out by Moses, our experiences with God help us trust Him, and our knowledge of God leads to obedience. When we know God, His commands will not feel like burdens. Instead, our obedience will be a direct response to our relationship with Him.

Our walk with God is not about following a set of rules mindlessly. The better we know God and remember what He has done for us, the more we will love Him. When we love Him, we will desire to do what He says.

Sometimes, a problem with obedience stems from a lack of knowledge or understanding of who God is. Rather than fighting a constant internal battle to obey God, we can "be transformed by the renewal of our minds" (see Romans 12:2). As we learn the truth about who God is, we will discover how much He loves us and that He has only good intentions towards us (Jeremiah 29:11). This will make obeying Him a simple choice.

>>> Reflection: Is there a misunderstanding of God's nature that is keeping you from obeying God in an area?

Write the Scriptures: Remember, Know, Obey — Obey God

Take time each day to meditate on and write one of these verses. Expect God’s Word to renew your mind as you engage with it slowly and prayerfully.

"Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today" (Deuteronomy 4:40a)

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

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8)

"With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:9–11)

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." (James 1:22)

"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome." (1 John 5:3)

Blessing in Action: Remember, Know, Obey — Obey the Lord

➡️ Every day this week, pray, "Show me who You are, Lord, so I can better walk in obedience"

➡️ Take one concrete step of obedience this week, even if small.