Love Actually
15 See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. 16 If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the LORD your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. (Deuteronomy 30:15-18)
The 30th chapter of Deuteronomy is the beginning of the end of Moses' speeches to the people of Israel before they enter the land God had promised them - the land Moses would not enter as a result of his own sin. So Moses, being keenly aware of the temptation to turn away from God, sought to remind the people one last time of all they had been given and all they stood to loose should they turn away. Loving God, walking in God's ways, and obeying God's commands for how to live in community would all continue to be repeated to the people by various prophets. They would remain faithful for a time before needing to repent and fall on God's grace. We can identify where our heart is by where we place our hope and what we choose to serve.
"If we serve wealth instead of God, the poor suffer. If we serve consumption instead of God, the environment suffers. If we serve pride or fear instead of God, both we and our neighbors suffer. Service of God alone must be the beacon that guides our journey through daily life, or else we face both spiritual and physical death."*
Jesus would continue the clarion call to right relationship with God through right relationship with neighbor throughout his ministry, and especially in his "Sermon on the Mount". Jesus expanded on the commands that Moses referenced by exchanging legalistic emphases for relational emphases. Rather than simply adhering to laws to not kill, commit adultery, or lie, we should seek to do no harm physically, mentally, or emotionally to one another. Actively seeking the good of another - that's love, actually!
23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:23-24)
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