Walk in the way the Lord your God has commanded you,
so that
you may live and prosper and prolong your days
in the land that you will possess.
Deuteronomy 5:33 (NIV 1984)
The updated NIV translates walk in the way as walk in obedience. Do you think
“obedience” conveys a bit of legalism? Does it put you off? Is it easier to accept the challenge to, walk in the way than walk in obedience?
Other translations admonish us to:
- Walk in all the ways (KJV)
- Walk entirely in the way (NASB)
- Walk in all the way (ESV)
- Stay on the path (NLT)
Since few of us read Hebrew, these various translations clarify the challenge God gives us through Moses. But regardless of how the call is translated, don’t miss the so that – the reason the One who knows us best and loves us most gives for obeying His commands. (Did you notice I gave so that its own line, hoping you wouldn’t miss it? I love finding a so that, a reason for what God is calling us to do. Because, after all, He is God. He doesn’t have to tell us why.)
The so that – the blessings that He promises come to us when we walk in the way (or walk in obedience…) can be summed up in two words:
- Life
- Prosperity
Clearly, these are good things. So that means walking in His way is a good thing.
Our knee-jerk, default, auto-pilot response to obedience to the commands is often reject or resist. We stiff-arm God’s call and deem it outdated, inhibiting or unnecessary.
But we do so to our own loss.
Do we really want to forfeit life and prosperity? Clearly, life and prosperity are defined differently in God’s economy than by the world. But they are better. And they last longer.
Living life God’s way means being filled with and led by His Spirit. That then means the traits of the fruit of the Spirit will be growing in our lives. The filling and fruit of the Spirit is both the means and the prosperous result of walking in His way:
- The way of love.
- Joyful obedience.
- Peace the world cannot provide.
- Patience with others.
- Kindness we never thought we could release…or receive.
- Goodness that can only come from Him.
- Faithfulness that defies who we know we are.
- Gentleness so gentle we know it is contrary to our own nature.
- Self-control that surprises and astonishes us.
We live the “life that is truly life” (Paul’s words to Timothy, I Timothy 6:17-19), as we pivot from walking our way to walking in the way of the Lord.
His way will not always be pain free. Life and prosperity will look and feel different than we once thought.
The question we must really ask ourselves is: Do I truly want life and prosperity?
So how about it? Are you tired of “doing it your way” (as Frank Sinatra once sang)? Are you ready to walk in the way of the Lord? If so, would you pray with me:
Lord, I want to walk in Your way. Help me to walk in Your way. I truly desire to receive and embrace every spiritual blessing of life and prosperity You have for me in Christ Jesus. This IS what I truly desire. Help me to make this my desire!
Esther resigned herself to face death at the end of Chapter 4, but three days later marches into the King’s presence with a plan. What happened? What changed? Three days of prayer and fasting!
We invite you to watch this week’s devotional video, in which Laura’s teaching focuses on the faith of Esther, the pride of Haman, and the sovereignty of God.
