Fix these words of mine into your mind and being, tie them as a reminder on your hands, and let them be symbols on your forehead.
Into the Text
The nation had wandered in the desert for forty years as a result of their disobedience and lack of faith in God to deliver them to the Promised Land. Now, a new generation stands ready to enter the land.
Here in Deuteronomy 11, we see a recounting of the shema. This is a daily prayer meant to remind the people to keep God first and foremost in their lives. Without doing this, they would be tempted to turn to the gods of the nations around them.
There are lots of small “g” gods in life to distract us and pull our devotion and obedience away from Jesus. These idols are anyone or anything that we worship as if they are God. We encounter them on a daily basis.
But how interesting that all the way back in Deuteronomy, God mapped out a way for us to navigate these temptations. We must fix God’s Word into our minds and being. We must “speak of them as [we] sit in [our] house, as [we] walk along the road, as [we] lie down, and as [we] get up.”
These are not just suggestions but commands. We must personally know God’s Word to live it out. Our biggest responsibility as Christians is to know Jesus and live by the power of the Holy Spirit so that we may walk in humble obedience to the Word of God.
Second, each of these commands necessitates intimacy with others in our daily lives. We are members of the family of God. We are to encourage one another daily to godliness and obedience. The Christian life is not always easy, but it is one we are called to do together, one step at a time.
Prayer
Lord, reveal to me any false gods I am distracted by or devoted to. Help me to turn away from them and worship you alone. I want to walk in humble obedience to your Word. Amen.