A New start (Part 1)

The Reason:

… well how about a recommitment instead? At the beginning of the year I made a new commitment to the Lord to put to practice things I had learned about being a godly woman, wife, mother and friend. I started off the year strong but unfortunately allowed the busyness of life to dull down my commitment. Once again I am living in state of contentment because of memories of stronger days.

While reading my bible the other day I unintentionally came across a verse that I had committed as my life verse in the beginning of the year and have since let slip.

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads, teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers as many as the days that the havens are above the earth. "

~Deuteronomy 11:18-21

These are strong commands. It is my responsibility (especially as a homemaker and mother) to be forever mindful of the ways of the Lord, to introduce my children to Him in all things, to be in constant dialogue with the Lord throughout the day. My every breath should be for him. It sounds radical but when I was committed to faithfully practicing these verses I was able to walk in peace and love; two things that I severely lack when I am running things on my own.

The Blessings Promised:

"If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow-to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you. Every place where you set your foot will be yours… . No man will be able to stand against you."

~Deuteronomy 11:22-25a

So – if I commit myself to these things then the Lord will bless me. He will allow me to make a lasting footprint in the name of the Lord on this world. He will remove obstacles that Satan puts in my way and pour his love and grace on me. It is important to him that I understand that His ways do not change and we are to hold onto the purity, morals, and convictions of generations past.

The Consequence of Disobedience:

The verses preceding these commands make clear the consequences of going about things our own way.

"Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you."

~Deuteronomy 11:16-17

Of course this is so true. When I am not in constant fellowship (not constantly communicating with God throughout the day) I begin to bow down to other gods - idleness, discontentment, selfishness, anger, impatience. While I am not looking for rain to produce good produce I view this statement to mean that my fellowship with the Lord will be severed by my disobedience and his blessings will cease. Since I am no good on my own, without the grace of God flowing through my life, I will not be able to glorify him as he desires.