Weekly Reflection – Listen and Obey

“Now it shall be, if you diligently listen to and obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all of His commandments which I am commanding you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you pay attention to the voice of the Lord your God.”

— Deuteronomy 28:1-2

The God of Israel asks His people to “diligently hearken” His voice—what does that command mean? Daily, we are surrounded by a multitude of different voices. Some tell us to go forward, others to stop, and still others to do nothing. It is easy to become confused and frustrated to know which path to take. However, if we become familiar with the voice of God as reflected in His Word, then we can distinguish His voice among all the others and learn to make decisions that will lead us to our divine destiny.

To be set apart, God’s people must be inwardly and visibly moral so as to reflect His righteous character. True obedience is more than outward subjugation to an appointed authority, for a person can be subservient without being inwardly submissive. To truly obey is when our inner compliance is inseparable from our outward actions.