By Bessie Wilson
"O that their hearts were inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!" (Deuteronomy 5:29)
Moses is quoting the Lord in these words as we see from verse 28, “and the Lord said to me.” We need to pause long enough to hear the yearning heart of God over His people. He longs to see His people fear Him and keep His commandments. It seems to burst from Him in an exclamation, “O that there was such a heart in them,” yearning, loving and seeking. It is an aspect of the character of God we rarely consider. We find it also in Jeremiah 29:11,
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future…you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
And here in Deuteronomy 5:29 the thought is the same, “that it might be well with them and with their children forever.”
I have often said in my teaching to young people on relationships that as a mother I did not sit around planning how to hurt or bring sadness to any of our four children. As a human mother I could, and probably did, mistakenly hurt and sadden my children, but it was never with malicious intent.
Our heart attitude toward God should be based on His revealed character in the Scriptures. He has our best interests at heart. He wants our hearts inclined to fear Him, to recognize His thoughts toward us to be thoughts of peace and not of evil. Satan will do his utmost to poison our minds and misrepresent our loving Father as a spoilsport, a policeman out to get us, a tyrannical parent or any number of caricatures. A prayerful reading of the Bible, a heart inclined to fear Him and a desire to be obedient to His commandments will garrison the heart against such misrepresentations.
"Jesus said, If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him." (Luke 11:13)
Isaiah 49:15 both asks and answers the question: "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!"
"O that their hearts were inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!" (Deuteronomy 5:29)
Moses is quoting the Lord in these words as we see from verse 28, “and the Lord said to me.” We need to pause long enough to hear the yearning heart of God over His people. He longs to see His people fear Him and keep His commandments. It seems to burst from Him in an exclamation, “O that there was such a heart in them,” yearning, loving and seeking. It is an aspect of the character of God we rarely consider. We find it also in Jeremiah 29:11,
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future…you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
And here in Deuteronomy 5:29 the thought is the same, “that it might be well with them and with their children forever.”
I have often said in my teaching to young people on relationships that as a mother I did not sit around planning how to hurt or bring sadness to any of our four children. As a human mother I could, and probably did, mistakenly hurt and sadden my children, but it was never with malicious intent.
Our heart attitude toward God should be based on His revealed character in the Scriptures. He has our best interests at heart. He wants our hearts inclined to fear Him, to recognize His thoughts toward us to be thoughts of peace and not of evil. Satan will do his utmost to poison our minds and misrepresent our loving Father as a spoilsport, a policeman out to get us, a tyrannical parent or any number of caricatures. A prayerful reading of the Bible, a heart inclined to fear Him and a desire to be obedient to His commandments will garrison the heart against such misrepresentations.
"Jesus said, If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him." (Luke 11:13)
Isaiah 49:15 both asks and answers the question: "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!"
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