Contemplative Bible Reading

Deuteronomy 28:47-48 (New Living Translation)

47 If you do not serve the Lord your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received, 48 you will serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you. You will be left hungry, thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything. The Lord will put an iron yoke on your neck, oppressing you harshly until he has destroyed you.

This is part of the (hi)story of the people receiving the old law from God through Moses. There are blessings for obedience and curses (we don’t like to use that word much these days) for not obeying.

God wants service. As we read hear, not just service, but service out of joy and enthusiasm. Whoa. Must be something lost in translation here, huh? Serve with Joy? Serve with Enthusiasm? I mean, wait, there isn’t much that I do these days enthusiastically. Huh?

Right here in front of me in black and white. Clear as day. Not just obedience and service to check the boxes on some checklist of boxes, but with joy and enthusiasm. Please God, help me in my unbelief.