READ: Deuteronomy 8:1-10

The Lord your God led you all the way these forty years . . . to humble you and test you. —Deuteronomy 8:2

Afew weeks after writing an Our Daily Bread article about the importance of obeying the law, I set out on an 850-mile trip—determined to stay within the posted speed limit. While driving out of a small town in New Mexico, I became more occupied with unwrapping a sandwich than with watching the road signs, and I got a speeding ticket. My first lesson that day was that not paying attention costs the same as deliberate disregard for the law. And I still had 700 miles to go!

My second lesson was that our resolve will always be tested. I thought of Moses’ words to God’s people as they prepared to enter the Promised Land: “You shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not” (Deut. 8:2).

Pastor and author Eugene Peterson called the process of following Christ “a long obedience in the same direction.” Every resolution to begin to obey must be followed by many decisions to continue.

God gave me a humbling reminder of how vital it is to keep my heart set on obeying Him—and to pay attention along the way. —David McCasland

Thou who hast freely given
Thine all in all for me,
Claim this life for Thine own to be used,
My Savior, every moment for Thee. —Christiansen

To love God is to obey God.

Copyright © 2012, RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI 49555 USA.