Relationship With God: Both Internal and External

Early Israel easily could have said, "All we have to do to maintain our relationship with God is just keep our identity as Israel." They easily could look at all God did and would do for them and say, "It is enough for us just to be us." After all, God powerfully delivered them from Egypt, powerfully delivered them from the Egyptian army, powerfully preserved them in the hostile wilderness, and promised He powerfully would give them Canaan. All that being true, all they needed to do was just be them. They just needed to trust their identity, and God would be delighted to maintain relationship with them!

However, in Deuteronomy 10:12-22 Moses declared maintaining their identity was not enough. He said, even though God did what He did for them, He had some expectations that Moses said were requirements. There were four of them.

(1) They would hold God in a deep sense of reverence. Though a relationship with God is what God wanted, it would not be a "buddy-buddy" or peer relationship. It would be a dependent relationship in which the inferior held the vastly superior in profound awe. Though they valued the relationship, they would never diminish God!

(2)They would walk in His ways because they loved Him. They would not be controlled by mere terror! In deep respect and profound appreciation, they desirously and willingly would allow Him to lead while they followed. They in sincere gratitude would follow knowing they were hopelessly lost without Him.

(3)They would willingly [not begrudgingly!] serve Him with everything they were. They would put their heart, their existence into serving God. It was serving God that made their life worthwhile! It was serving God that gave their life its ultimate purpose! They did not want to be in control of their lives--they wanted God to be in control of them!

(4) They would be obedient! They would not declare the terms of obedience. They would not declare the values that produced obedience. They would listen, learn, and understand. Their best interest would not be achieved by placing themselves in charge of them. Their best interest would be achieved by placing God in charge of them.

Astoundingly, Moses said they were being blessed because of the love their ancestors had for God. It was their forefathers' love for God that created their opportunity. He Who is the source and ultimate owner of everything blessed second generation Israel because of Abraham's love for God! [Wonder what future generations will be blessed by our love for God?]

The external sign of God's covenant with Abraham was given in Genesis 17 [circumcision]. It was given because Abraham's trusting heart belonged to God. Now, generations later, Moses asked second generation Israel also to give their hearts to God. Circumision was much more than an external mark of identification. Israelites were to belong to God both inwardly and outwardly. If they circumcised their hearts, they would no longer continue to be a stubborn, rebellious people.

Why would they internally circumcise the heart? They knew Who the impartial, awesome, mighty God was! They knew He sought fairness even for the disadvantaged! Therefore, they would reflect Him! They would profoundly reverence Him, serve Him, cling to Him, and swear by Him. To them, He was the praiseworthy everything! He had turned a family into a nation! They were that nation because of what He had done!

This should remind Christians of 1 Peter 2:9-12!

All we are is the result of God's action in our behalf. We are not self-made. We are God-made!