“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 all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD…” Deuteronomy 10.12

Here is yet another action verb designed to teach us how to think about the Law of God and its role in our lives. The word in Hebrew is shamar and means “to guard.” We must guard the Law of God – His commandments and statutes – as we serve Him each day in all our doings and all our walk.

Why do we need to guard the Law of God?

When we guard something we keep our eye on it continuously, to ensure that nothing happens which is contrary to God’s purposes. We guard the Law as we meditate on it daily, since we are prone to forget God’s will and to serve our own interests instead. We guard the Law when we dispute with those who suggest – by their lives or words – that keeping the Law is not part of God’s plan for us. We guard the Law when we learn to interpret and apply it properly, and when we teach it to others (Matt. 5.17-19).

Put succinctly, if we do not guard the Law, we will simply neglect it.

As we pursue our daily walk and do whatever is required of us each day, we can become easily distracted from our calling to serve the Lord and lose sight of His Law and Word. But if we are actively guarding the Law – studying, meditating, reading and reviewing, pondering, teaching and defending, and applying God’s commands – we will be more likely to realize the benefits that come from obedience.

T. M. Moore

For more insight to the nature of God’s Covenant, order a copy of T. M.’s book, I Will Be Your God, from our online store. Visit our website, www.ailbe.org, and sign up to receive our thrice-weekly devotional, Crosfigell, featuring writers from the period of the Celtic Revival and T. M.’s reflections on Scripture and the Celtic Christian tradition.