REQUIREMENTS, STANDARDS, AND FOLLOWING WHOLEHEARTEDLY
Jenna Worsham
Today's Scripture: “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, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,” Deuteronomy 10:12, ESV
Theme: God doesn’t need our work. He wants us to work with and learn from Him, not work independently and say it is for Him.
SOW – “STATEMENT OF WORK”
When I was working in the defense industry, preparing proposals and writing contracts and subcontracts, a key element in the purchasing process was the Statement of Work or SOW. The acronym always made me laugh because it sounds like a pig. The point of a SOW is to set up expectations and boundaries for a project. What should be considered part of the project? What is outside the bounds of the project? The SOW explains it in detail. If there is a dispute about a proposed task, material, or hours – those disputes can be connected to a specific part of the work identified, even before the proposal was written, contract was put in place, or the charges sent in for payment. The SOW defines the task requirements. Today’s Scripture reminds us of a requirement from God (a SOW of a sort) and sets about defining it.
WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU?
While we can be tempted to interpret specific sections of the Biblical text as a SOW for life, today’s Scripture clarifies that misconception. Maybe you, like me, are more comfortable with a rubric for good behavior. The Ten Commandments outlined in Exodus 20 are a clear standard. They are a finite list of requirements that I can point to when I want to clarify my reasoning or justify my choices. However, Jesus explains in Matthew 5 that true compliance with the Commandments goes far beyond following the letter of the Mosaic Law. The Ten Commandments show us how incapable we are of maintaining God’s standard and meeting His requirements. Rather than providing a product or service that meets the needs identified in a SOW, God wants us to develop a relationship with Him. His work statement identifies only one thing that is truly necessary – walking in step with Him, 100% committed, with everything we have--heart, soul, and strength.
ALL YOUR HEART AND SOUL
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5, ESV). This lesson is repeated throughout Scripture. It is one we, God’s followers, are instructed memorize, recite, wear on accessories, teach to our children, post in our homes (“on the doorposts!”), and recall regularly. It is the most important Commandment, the ultimate task – love and follow God wholeheartedly.
We are going to fail to keep the commands, although we will try! God doesn’t need our perfect satisfaction of the SOW (Statement of Work). We will breach our contracts just as the Israelites broke theirs. Yet, Jesus came to redeem us. He paid in full and fulfilled the entire contract perfectly. Our God does not send us out with tasks to do on our own. He gives us instructions and then He does everything required Himself, asking us to follow and help with all of our capacity. This is His way, not mine. I’d try to meet every requirement; and I would fail. If we remain close to Him, following and learning from Him with all our hearts, He has already satisfied the requirements. We can’t lose.
Make It Personal: In what ways do you tend to see the Biblical text as a Statement of Work (SOW) applied to yourself or others? What does Jesus say about our application and fulfillment of the Ten Commandments in Matthew 5? How does focusing on following God and learning from Him both release us from and fulfill (through Jesus) the demands of an impossible standard?
Pray: Lord God, thank You for fulfilling the requirements I couldn’t live up to. I want to follow You with everything I have, yet sometimes I don’t. It helps me to know that You want me to keep trying and striving, not because You need my effort or work, but because You want me to have a relationship with You. My independent effort is often useless. I’m sorry I keep trying to do things on my own. Sometimes I use Your Name in vain, claiming that my effort is for Your Glory when it is just my own idea. Help me to let go of my priorities and to follow You wholeheartedly. Amen.
Read: Deuteronomy 6:1-12; Matthew 5:21-48
Weekly Memory Verse: “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, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,” Deuteronomy 10:12, ESV