Simple But Challenging

Shortly before his death, Moses once again challenged the people of Israel with following God's ways. He reminded them of the abundant blessing God would give if they would "obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law" and if they would "turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul" (Deuteronomy 30:10).

People today, just like in Moses' day, might protest. They might say it isn't that easy. After all, how could man really know what God wants him to do? God may seem remote and inaccessible, too lofty to be known, too complex to be understood. To think that a mere man would be able to really know what God wants and actually be able to do it - well, it just isn't reasonable. God is distant in the heavens and unknowable. Therefore, by no fault of his own, man misses out on the blessings God says are available, simply because he can't possibly meet God's mysterious expectations.

Anyone who thinks such thoughts is wrong. Yes, God is lofty and complex. However, He has not made it hard for man to know Him. Rather, He has made it easy. He has revealed something of Himself in every man, giving man an innate sense that there is a God that he should seek. God has magnificently declared Himself through the glories of creation. God's greatest revelation is through His written Word, the Bible that He has preserved and protected and made abundantly available.

Moses confronted Israel with the accessibility of knowing God and His desires. "For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?' But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it" (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).

The truth is that the difficulty in following God's way is not because the way is difficult to know. Rather, it is for modern Christians exactly what it was for Israel: the rebelliousness of the human heart.

Regarding Israel, Moses stated, "For I know your rebellion and your stubbornness ... you have been rebellious against the LORD" (Deuteronomy 31:27). Regarding man in general, God declares, "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick" (Jeremiah 17:9). Sadly, man's natural inclination is not toward God. Man naturally rebels against the very God that he should follow.

God, on the other hand, does want a relationship with man and does indeed want to bless those whose follow Him. God calls and draws mankind. God makes His instructions and desires accessible and understandable. He rewards those who seek Him and gives wisdom to those who ask. He helps those who try to walk in His ways and He gives them more and more light.

Yes, it is possible to know God's way and to follow Him. It really isn't that difficult in terms of knowing what God wants. It is only difficult because of the rebellion that lingers in the heart.

"Make me walk in the path of Your commandments. ... Incline my heart to Your testimonies ... Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in Your ways" (Psalm 119:35-37).