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The Scriptorium

And Love the Lord

He may seem unapproachable, but He calls us to love Him. Deuteronomy 11.1-7

Blessing and Curse: Deuteronomy 10, 11 (4)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 18.1-3
I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.

Psalm 18.1-3

(St. Columba: How Sweet and Awesome)
I love You, Lord, my Strength, my Rock, my Savior and my Fort;
My God, my ever-shelt’ring Rock, You shield my trembling heart.

My Stronghold, Lord, my Saving Horn, I call to You with praise!
From those who Your salvation scorn You save us all our days!

Today’s Text: Deuteronomy 11.1-7

Preparation
1. How should God’s people show that they love Him?

2. Why should they love Him?

Meditation
“Therefore” strikes me as a bit strong in verse 1. It implies connection based on and deriving from what went before. “And” is the simple translation: “And you shall love…” Looking back to 10.20, 21, everything is mentioned there but to love the Lord. Fear, serve, hold fast, take oaths, praise – and (added in 11.1) “love.” Love intertwines through all our affections and duties toward the Lord. And love is fulfilled in obedience to God’s charge, statutes, judgments, and commandments. Always (v. 1).

In verses 2-6, Moses again reminds the people of what they had seen and know – most of them, anyway. How God brought chastening against those who disobeyed (v. 2). How He exercised mighty power in delivering them from Egypt (vv. 3, 4). How He provided for them in the wilderness (v. 5) and judged those who opposed Moses and the Lord (v. 6). This generation had “seen it all”, so to speak, “every great act of the LORD which He did” (v. 7).  Implied in this brief overview is that they who have seen these things are to love God, and as a result must teach the generation that has not seen them, so that they might know the greatness of God.

And that they might love Him as well.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“…but your eyes have seen every great act of the LORD which He did” (Deut. 11.6). “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19.25-27) “But blessed are your eyes for they see…” (Matt. 13.16). “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon…we declare to you…Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full” (1 Jn. 1.1-4). The whole point to seeing Jesus is to love Him, and then to obey Him. And to share Him with others so that they too can see every great act of the LORDwhich He did for us and for them.

Reflection

1. What does it mean to “see” the Lord Jesus?

2. How does seeing Him lead us to love Him more?

3. How can believers encourage one another in looking to and seeing Jesus?

The whole address has this scope, that the people should testify their gratitude by their obedience, and thus being allured by God's bounties, should reverently embrace His Law. On this account also, he requires them to love God, before he exhorts them to obey the Law itself.
John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Deuteronomy 11.1

Thank You, Lord, for all your great and saving work on my behalf. Help me to love You more as I…

Closing Prayer: Psalm 18.43-50
Praise God for Jesus and for the salvation He gives. Pray that you might know more of Him and His great salvation today.

Psalm 18.43-50
(St. Theodulph: All Glory, Laud, and Honor)
Lord Jesus Christ exalted, above all earthly strife!
You rule all lands and nations, the Lord and King of life!
They flock to You who never did seek out Your glorious face,
obedient to Your mandate, renewed within Your grace.

You live, our Rock, our Savior, exalted by our God!
Upon Your foes with vengeance Your holy feet have trod.
Delivered from Your enemies and lifted high above,
You rescue and redeem us by Your eternal love.

Let nations rise and praise You, and give You thanks, O Lord!
Deliv’rance, grace, and favor You grant us by Your Word.
Bestow Your lovingkindness upon us as before,
And bless and keep Your people henceforth and ever more.

T. M. and Susie Moore

Listen to our summary of last week’s study in Deuteronomy by clicking here. You can download all the studies in the series by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All quotations from Church Fathers from
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy: Ancient Christian Commentary Series III, Joseph T. Lienhard, S. J. ed. in collaboration with Ronnie J. Rombs, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2001). All quotations from John Calvin from John Calvin, Commentaries on The Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Order of A Harmony, Rev. Charles William Bingham M. A., tr. and ed. (Edinburgh: The Calvin Translation Society, 1863. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
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