Just, Chosen.

Deuteronomy 6 & 7

Love the LORD your God.

Hear O Israel.

This is God’s call to His people to hear and obey.

This is the “Shema”.

Hebrew for “to hear”.

Recited daily, still today, as the Jewish confession of faith. 

And in synagogues the people say this in unison.

Ch6:4 “Hear, O Israel:

The LORD our God,

The LORD is One.

Love the LORD your God

With all your heart

And with all your soul

And with all your strength.

This call to faith and commitment and obedience indicates total involvement of body, mind, heart and soul.  A call to covenant lifestyle with one’s whole being.

Over and over in this chapter,

Moses emphasizes

that people must be careful to obey

and listen

so that it will go well

and so that they will prosper

and receive all the blessings

from the storehouse of heave,

all the plenty

and abundance

that God longs to pour out on them.

To establish Israel as the apple of God’s eye

So they will live long

And always prosper

And be kept alive

For many generations

In this good, good land. 

One of my favourite verses in this section is Ch 7:7 &8

Where we read about how God has set His affection on us!

Because He loved us.

Ch 7:7 “The LORD did not set His affection on you

And choose you because you were more numerous

Than other peoples,

For you were fewest of all peoples.

8 But it was because the LORD loved you

And kept the oath He swore

To your forefathers

that He brought you out

with a Mighty Hand

and redeemed you

from the land of slavery

from the power of Pharaoh

King of Egypt.

9 Know therefore

That the LORD your God is God.

He is the faithful God,

Keeping His covenant of Love

To a 1000 generations

Of those who love Him

And keep His commandments.

So I really love that kind of language.

Deuteronomy is the first book that starts to use the word LOVE to describe God’s relationship with His people.  This covenant of love extended to a 1000 generations and that would most certainly and wonderfully include us too.

As someone who was never picked first on the playground, this language of love and chosen-ness and being redeemed is really profound. 

This promise of abundance

And of plenty

And of blessing

For me.

For me?

Really?

A great and awesome God

With a Mighty Hand and a Plan

Wants to do life

With you

And with me.

He has chosen you

and chosen me

carried us on eagles’ wings

Ch7:6 “A people holy

To the LORD our God

Chosen

Out of all the peoples

On the face of the earth

To be His treasured possession.

In a world that often speaks to how we don’t fit or belong

The LORD our God 

Has set His affection on us!!

And He is faithful.

So just tuck that in your heart today,

And let that tumble around.