Submitted by Pastor Brad Dush, Fairfax Methodist Church

“The Lord heard the request you made to me. And he said, ‘I have heard what the people said to you, and they are right. Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear me and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever. Go and tell them, “Return to your tents.” But you stand here with me so I can give you all my commands, decrees, and regulations. You must teach them to the people so they can obey them in the land I am giving them as their possession.’” ~ Deuteronomy 5:28-31

Have you ever heard someone use the phrase, “We need to get to the heart of the matter?” Perhaps you have heard some variation of the phrase. It is especially important to examine the “heart of the matter” when it comes to our relationship with the Lord. The verses above come after a review of the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy. Verse 28 encourages the people to have a heart that “might fear me and obey all my commands!”

The people should, according to the verse, “fear and obey.” The Old Testament usage of “fear” with respect to God is somewhat lost on the modern church, but it is simply a reverent respect of God, a biblical idea of trust. The people are encouraged to “trust and obey.” If you have been in church very long, you know there is no other way . . . all humor aside, as the people are reminded of the Ten Commandments, what God requests of them is to make sure that at the heart of the matter, their very heart is set to trust and obey.

As we move into the fall of the year, I am reassured that God encourages us to have a heart that fears/trusts and obeys. The beauty of the green rolling hills of crops in our area is replaced with the sometimes-dreary empty fields until next year’s planting season. The cold weather moves in, driving some inside, but we always know we can trust spring is coming. We can trust God to be there for us. I know we cannot possibly pretend to follow the Ten Commandments completely, at least not successfully. However, that is where God’s grace comes in. We can have hearts focused like God wants because of Jesus Christ and Him crucified!