And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 10:12

 What motivates you to live by a certain set of standards? Is it the fear of getting caught and disciplined for wrong doing or is it because you love the freedoms that you have to live a certain way? Oftentimes we live by certain standards out of duty or obligation to rules and laws. But, as so many have said, “rules are meant to be broken”. A perfect example is the speed limit. Many have a hard time obeying this law because it’s out of obligation and not because they love driving and don’t want to lose their privilege to drive. This mindset often leads to failure, and the result of not conforming leads to embarrassment, punishment, shame, and quite often a damaged reputation.

 Today’s passage in Deuteronomy provides some guidance with regards to the motivator for doing right in God’s eyes; having a love for the Lord your God. Love is a great motivator, and when it rules your heart, you are more apt to comply with the standards God has set forth. Trying to live a Godly life out of obligation oftentimes fails because your heart is not in it.

 What sins in your life are like the speed limits of the roadways? You know the right thing to do, but your heart isn’t loving God enough to care that those repeated sins hurt your relationship with Him. Whew! Let me state that again, your heart isn’t loving God enough to care that those repeated sins hurt your relationship with Him! This speaks loudly to me, and I hope you can see the transparency of the situation in yourself. How can we love the Lord our God with all our heart?

 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

 Only through the power of God’s Holy Spirit living inside you, will you be able to truly love God to the point that anything outside His will is off limits to your mind, your actions, and your words. Ask God to help you love Him more and more each day. He will strengthen your relationship with Him through your continual prayer, bible reading, and keeping a watchful eye for His wonderous works in your life. As you grow in love with Him, nothing else will matter and the motivation for obedience will truly come from a heart that loves God on the level He desires for you. God bless!