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Whenever we love anything, it comes to our mind readily. Theologian Thomas Watson said well, “He who is in love, his thoughts are ever upon the object.” Think of how many songs and poems have been written about love. Love captivates the heart and leads us to song.
If we think about that, it should not be too hard for us to think about what it looks like when someone loves God. However, Moses does not leave it to our imagination. He fleshes out here what it means to love God. We know God through creation, but we also know God through His Word. What we do with His Word is an indicator of our love for God. God makes it about His Word. First, we want to see what the presence of the Word should be in our lives. Then, we’ll try to understand the connection between the Word and our Love. Third, we will see that our love is indicated by the proclamation of the Word out of love.
The Presence of the Word in Our Lives
Immediately after Moses had commanded the people to love the Lord their God with all their heart and soul and strength, he said this, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts” (Dt. 6:6). What this means is that the Word of God should not only be something we hear, but it should go down deep into our hearts. This is one of the most important ways we show our love for God.
Now, how does this happen? First, we have to hear the commandments of God. The commandments will not be on our hearts if we don’t listen to them. In our case, we can also read them. In those days, they did not all have a copy of the Word of God, but we do. There is no excuse for not reading or listening to the Word of God on a regular basis, at least daily! We have it in great abundance. We have apps to remind us. We have cheap copies of the Word of God. If we don’t like to read, there are innumerable ways to listen to the Bible each day.
Here is what God says, if you love me, you need to have my commandments on your hearts. How can you say that you love Him, if you make no effort to know what He is saying to the world?
However, it’s not enough to read it or hear it. We need to meditate on it. We need to take it in and think about it regularly. This is what God said to Joshua, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Josh. 1:8). Here we read something similar. “Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (Dt. 1:8–9). Christian families often do this very thing. They put up key verses to help them remember them and make them a part of their lives.
At any rate, we should have some verses that we are meditating on. When the Lord speaks to us through a particular verse, it’s worth reviewing. I would suggest trying to memorize a passage of Scripture. Even if you don’t remember all of it later, it provides a process of thinking carefully through a passage. This is what it means to tie them as symbols on your hands and write them on your gates.
Here’s what I recommend to you. Have a plan for reading and studying God’s Word. Have a verse or two that you are memorizing. Pray and ask God to speak to you. It’s very simple in some ways, but it is more of a challenge than it should be. If we love God, we’ve got to love what He says to us in His Word.
But let’s try to understand this a little bit more. Why is there such a close connection between love and the Word?
The Connection of the Word to Our Love
Why is there such a connection between God and His Word? Three reasons. First, because if we love God, we will keep Him in our mind. That which we love we hold in our mind. That’s what we said at the beginning. Nothing keeps God in our mind like hearing, meditating on, and memorizing His Word. To be the object of our love, God has to be in our mind.
We also know that we are inclined to forget. This is what Moses warns against constantly in the book of Deuteronomy. Here’s what he said, “Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day” (Dt. 8:11). Read the first part of Deuteronomy, it’s all, “Do not forget! Do not forget! Do not forget!” Human nature hasn’t changed. We get consumed with what’s in front of us and forget the Lord. Keeping His Word in front of us will keep that from happening.
Second, because if we love God we will love what He says. If we love someone, we will love what makes us think of them. All of creation speaks of God, but God has spoken to us with even greater clarity in the Scriptures. If we love God, we will love what makes us think of Him. His Word is the greatest thing we have that makes us think of Him.
I never knew my paternal Grandfather. He died before my Father was born. So, I didn’t know much about him. A few years ago, I did some research on my genealogy and it led me to connect with quite a few cousins that knew him or knew more about him than I did. One of these cousins had some books that my Grandfather, Myrland, had owned. I have always loved classic literature, and I was moved by the fact that he had owned some books of classic literature and even put the stamp of his name in them. That cousin gave me those books. I count them as a great treasure because they were something that he had owned that taught me something about Myrland. This is sort of how we should value this book. It’s not just a book that God liked. It’s one he wrote! It teaches us all about Him. So, there is a connection between the love we have for God and the love of this book.
Third, because if we love God, we will do what He wants us to do. God is not just a friend, though He is that. He is also the Lord and Master of this world. If we love God, then we will love Him as our Lord and King. We will want to do what He commands. In order to do what He commands, we have to know what He commands. If we love God, we will love what He wants. What He wants is for us to obey the commands. It should be our delight to be directed by God.
Some people get uncomfortable with the idea of obeying commands because they think this is law and not grace. There is a way to approach the law that is devoid of grace, but grace without the law is not the grace of the Bible. Jesus said, if you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). John got this point and said, “In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands” (1 John 5:3).
We love the Word because if we love God, we will keep Him in our mind, we will love what He says, and we will do what He wants us to do.
The Proclamation of the Word out of Love
Part of what He wants us to do is to help others to love God. This is what God also says here, “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Dt. 6:7). God does not want you or me to be the only person who loves Him. He wants everyone to love Him.
This is what God intended from the beginning. He said to Adam and Eve, fill the earth and subdue it. Be fruitful and multiply. God didn’t just want Adam and Eve. He wanted the world filled with people who would love Him and serve Him. Unfortunately, sin got in the way. Instead of people who loved God and their neighbor, the world became filled with people who were inclined to do the opposite, to hate God and their neighbor.
However, God kept working. He would call out people to serve Him. Then, He would tell them to pass on what they had learned to their children. He would tell them that in doing so, He would fulfill His promises and work in their hearts as well. This is just what He promised in the New Testament, the promise is for you and for your children (Acts 2:39). That is why the apostles impressed upon parents that they were to raise their children in the fear and training of the Lord. This is what God intended.
So, to love God is to be concerned about His work. It is to be concerned about what will occur in the next generation. It is to pray, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. This means that we want others to know God, love Him, and obey Him. That begins in our house. Do we talk about the Lord? Do we have a regular time of worship to teach our children? Do we follow up on what they learn at church? That is the question this text challenges us to consider.
However, it doesn’t end there. We should talk about the Lord with those outside. We should do it with wisdom and winsomeness, but we should do it. Remember, the goal is to fill the world with those who love God. That’s what God wants. If we love God, then we will want what He wants. We should be concerned for His mission. We should be concerned to tell people about Jesus who is the way back to loving God with all our heart and soul and strength.
Conclusion
God has not made it hard to connect with Him. He has given us His Word. We have it in our hands. We have it in our phones. If we love God, let’s take it in and show ourselves and others that we love the Lord our God not just with our lips but with our hearts and with our lives. Amen.
Benediction: Over the past month, we have experienced a lot of difficulties and challenges. This text calls us to remember that as we experience the challenges of this life, there is one thing that is really needful, to focus on loving God. When confused about what to do, love God. Let that be something that guides you in the difficult times and sets your priorities straight.
The call is still going out, hear, O Israel! See the Lord God and His goodness and greatness. Love Him with all you have. Let His Word be the means of connecting with Him.
And as you seek this, know that the Lord is already leading you and will continue to help you and bless you. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
We go out into the world to serve the Lord in the name of Christ. Amen.