“Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!”  Deuteronomy 5:29

From the moment God created Adam and Eve his plan was to bless them and their offspring. God was committed to providing all they needed and to abiding with them in perfect fellowship. But Adam and Eve, though they lived in a perfect place, and in perfect relationship with God, fell into sin and disobeyed God’s commandment. Why? Because they were beguiled by the serpent and tempted to believe that God was holding something back from them, that somehow, there was something more fulfilling and of greater worth then they had in Him. They became convinced that there was greater blessing if they went their own way and their hearts were inclined to disobey.

The same is true of each of their descendants, including you and me. That’s why we need to pray and ask God to help us have hearts that are inclined to obey him rather than turning to our own way. Interestingly, it may be most important to pray this when we feel like we’re doing well spiritually. After all, Deuteronomy 5:29 is God’s response when the Israelites were on a spiritual high and promising to be fully obedient to his commandments. God wants that attitude to continue, but he knows our obedience is fleeting and the power of sin motivates us to seek fulfillment apart from him, just as Adam and Eve did.

Deuteronomy 5:29 expresses God’s heartfelt desire that we will never waver in our commitment to obey him: “Oh that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always.” God wants our obedience and he desires to bless us. May we desire to live in obedience that we might experience the blessing of his presence in our lives.

“This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3)