What Does God Want From Me?

Serving – November 2011 – Grace & Truth Magazine

What Does God Want From Me?

“What does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?” — Deuteronomy 10:12-13 NIV

Many times we wonder what the Lord wants us to do? How does He want us to live? How can we know that we are living in a way that pleases Him?

The above two verses were given to Moses after he had chiseled the second set of the Ten Commandments on stone tablets. These words summarize for us a very clear and concise plan for living to please God – words that apply to us today, just as they did to Israel so many years ago.

“To fear the LORD your God.” We are told in Proverbs 9:10 that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” This knowledge of God helps us understand His ways and desires. Isaiah 33:6 says that, “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.” A fearful respect of the Lord is the key to knowing God’s ways and being assured of His blessing.

“To walk in all His ways.” Walking is a continuous action. The moment we stop putting one foot in front of the other we are no longer walking. When we walk or run we usually have a destination, a goal or a purpose. This is also necessary as we walk on the Christian pathway. Galatians 5:25 tells us that “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” It is only in the Spirit’s power that we are able to walk in His ways.

“To love Him.” We love the Lord because He first loved us (1 Jn. 4:19), and His love was shown in its fullness at the Cross. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 Jn. 4:10). How do we respond to this love? Are our hearts in tune with Him? We show our love for Him by the way we live and act. We should spend time daily in the Word and in prayer. “God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us” (Rom. 5:5). His love will then reach out through us to the unsaved in the world around us.

“To serve the LORD with all your heart and soul.” There is no room for half-heartedness! Paul told the Colossians, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Col. 3:23). The fields are ready for harvest, and the coming of the Lord is near, so let’s reach out to the lost today. “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58).

“To observe the LORD’s commands and decrees.” How much we obey His commands will show the quality of our love for Him. “Whoever has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me. He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love him and show Myself to him” (Jn. 14:21). Obeying His commands includes loving other believers. “He has given us this command: “Whoever loves God must also love his brother” (Jn. 4:21).

Because of our love for Him and our obedience to His Word, we should do our best to please Him in every area of our lives. Paul wrote: “We pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might” (Col. 1:10-11). Let’s pray this for one another.

By Ian Taylor