There’s a great little upbeat worship song based on Psalm 118:24 that often gets stuck in my head like a popcorn kernel gets stuck between your teeth…but in a good way. Sing it with me…this is the day, this is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made! See, now you’re stuck with it in your head, you're welcome. But of all the praise song messages to get stuck in your head, I think this one is at the very top of the relevance pile. You see, our worship, praise, service and obedience to God does not happen tomorrow, next week or later, it happens today. This day. The next 24 hours. The next rotation of this planet on its axis. Folks, today is the day that you should worship, praise and get serious about eagerly and obediently following the ways of Jesus Christ.
I’ve heard it said, “why do today what you can put off until tomorrow” and it seems that the world might just be tipping towards more procrastinators than anticipators as I see a world that embraces this saying. The world can see our “todays” as little more than an inconvenience rather than the privilege it really is. You see, it is no accident that when God created the heavens, stars and Earth that He made a day exactly 23 hours and 56 minutes long. God does not have accidents or make mistakes. This is the perfect amount of time He created for us to be able to serve Him, recoup, and then repeat. Each day is a gifted cycle from God that if we live in Him, His commandments, and His love, we will be able to be a blessing to the world around us, to all people we come into contact with, and to the Almighty Lord we serve. That’s the plan.
Today in Deuteronomy 26 we see a slight shift in gears as we move out of a section of laws specifically regarding personal and domestic relationships and move into a section that rejoins the central theme of the entire book, love and obedience. You see, ultimately that’s all God asks of us. To love Him as He first loved us and then out of our abundant love for Him, to adhere to the rules for life that He gives us in His Word. Seems pretty simple, huh? In fact, so simple that Jesus sums it all up in one the most succinct 7 word verses in all of God’s Word:
“If you love me, keep my commands.” John 14:15
And friends, in getting back to our study theme, if you love God today, you will keep His commands today. Remember, today is the day that the Lord has made. Let’s take a look at our study passage from Deuteronomy 26 and see just what God has to say about this very day that you are living today.
“The Lord your God is commanding you this day to follow these statutes and ordinances. Follow them carefully with all your heart and all your soul. Today you have affirmed that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in his ways, keep his statutes, commands, and ordinances, and obey him. And today the Lord has affirmed that you are his own possession as he promised you, that you are to keep all his commands, that he will elevate you to praise, fame, and glory above all the nations he has made, and that you will be a holy people to the Lord your God as he promised.” Deut 26:16-19
What an unbelievable promise from God we see here. And if you carefully break down the passage you can see the two basic components shine through, love and obey. God loves us first and we then reciprocate that love. As a result of our great love for Him, we are obedient to Him and the rules He gives us in His Word. In His great love, these rules are set up to protect our hearts, minds and spirits from the evils of this world. You see, God wants us to have a joyful abundant life and to do that we need protection from oursleves and the sin nature that can easily dominate our lives if we ignore God’s commands and go our own way. And then as we are obedient to God’s commands and lovingly follow His ways, our cups will overflow. Our verse tells us that our love and obedience to Him will result in God “elevating you to praise, fame, and glory above all the nations He has made, and that you will be a holy people to the Lord your God as He promised.” Our loving obedience to Him results in God raining down His blessings and even more glorious, He will allow us to be a “Holy people.” Holy means “set aside for God’s use.” Folks, my prayer every morning is to be just that. To be a life that is so full of love and obedience to God that I can be used by Him for His Glory. In a life that revolves around loving, obeying and serving God, you will find a life that is abundantly full of goodness, purpose, joy, freedom and peace.
And when do you start this cycle of love and obedience? Today! We see “this day” and “today” mentioned three times in our study passage. Folks, God says, this is the day. Start today, not tomorrow, not next week. Not when you think you have conquered sin in your life, not when you feel you are worthy, not when you feel you are ready, because folks, those days will never come. Start on your knees today and offer your love and obedience to the Lord. Out of your love for Jesus, tell Him that His ways are more important than your ways and your desires. Make a vow to the Lord that today, you will follow Him in loving obedience to His Words that hold true life. Start studying His Word today. Be in constant prayer to Him today. Seek blessed fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ today. Serve God through serving others today. Worship and praise the God of your life today. And as you do this with all of your heart, you will enact the promises of God. God’s promises are always present and always active, you just need to embrace them and set them into motion.
Set them into motion today.
Today is the day.
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