The last couple days have been deeply sad as I have read and re-read Deuteronomy 5-8. Perhaps the saddest verse is Yehovah’s pleading for His people to have a heart that fears and keeps His commandments!!
29 Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!
The verse clearly says ‘heart,’ ‘all,’ ‘keep,’ and ‘forever!’ Simple stuff, right?
Why so sad, then?
I speak to SO many people in Christendom and try to explain the many, many verses that tell us that our Father desires to ‘write His Word/commandments’ on our heart. More verses speak of the Messiah teaching Torah from Jerusalem. Still more tell of the glories and blessings of obedience… Eyes glaze over and I see them fade right out of the conversation.
How our Father’s heart must break!! Just like in Deuteronomy 5:29, He, the unchanging Elohim (God), STILL wants His people to have a heart the fears Him and keeps ‘all’ His commandments. But, Christendom is just as stiff-necked as those in the wilderness, only self-righteously so.
Does He weep? It makes me so, so sad.
I think of my own family that rather than having a conversation and actually exploring the Word, they prefer avoidance and silence. If that cuts me, how much moreso does it cut our Father in Heaven?
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [b]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
My only, and very sad conclusion, is that many of the stiff-necks who refuse the commandments, though active worshipping Christians, will be refused entry precisely because they did not DO the will of the Father.
How terribly sad.
Truly, we have a God of grace. He expresses that grace by extending time and offering truth. Refusing that grace and continuing in disobedience with blatant disregard for the clearly expressed desire of Yehovah is crushingly sad.
29 Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!
I pray with tears for my family. May Abba open their eyes in His timing, and may He grant patience and forgiveness each time they rebuff the message.
11:3 Restoration 
Pete, I understand your heart and the pain of family not yet convinced of the truth, even though involved in churches! One thing I have come to use in dialogue with people of faith is to ask them their perspective on an biblical issue. They are usually quite willing to share their opinion which I repeat back to them asking if I have understood correctly. When this is affirmed, I ask this probing question: Does that belief contradict any other scriptures? They have never thought of that and so it comes as a bit of a surprise. I then offer one which does and consider such declaring of the truth the fodder which the Spirit can then use to bring about conviction.
Blessings from Uganda, brother!
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Good idea. Will have to practice that approach.
Blessings to you!!
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So does our heart cry out too. Hope always.
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Pete, you and your blogposts are a daily welcome guest in my house. I hear and feel and share your heart. If only my family would ask me to sit down with them and please explain to them this so called newfound religion of mine, I will gladly do. No the walls come up, the nails come out and a deafness sets in, it is actually visible in their body language. “What do you mean you dont do Christmas, dont you love Jesus?” I can write a book about this. I can just pray with you for at least a curiosity on their part that will be an ideal opportunity for the Ruach to be a part of the conversation. But, my friend, alone you are not, lets keep the menorah burning. Shalom
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Indeed. We do hope for the day that their ears are unstopped and eyes opened. Isaiah (6) must have really struggled with a ministry that was promised to be HARD. ‘Eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear till they be broken….yet the 10th part would be saved.:
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I know that sadness far too well, especially for our own family members: Oh that they had such a heart to hear, see, and obey the WORD! Thank you for sharing your heart.
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Blessings to you! May you be a light that draws those around you!!
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I can relate. But please just carry on, fo what you believe is the right thing. Time is short, I know, but dont grow tired. Great things is on its way. Shalom my brother.
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Thank you so much for your kind comments. We (you and I) do press on, knowing that our King suffered many greater things for our sake and the sake of those we love! Blessings in Messiah…
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