Deuteronomy 32:44-52: a reflection

44Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he and Joshua the son of Nun. 45Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel. 46He said to them, “Set your heart to all the words which I testify to you today, which you shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. 47For it is no vain thing for you, because it is your life, and through this thing you shall prolong your days in the land, where you go over the Jordan to possess it.” 48The LORD spoke to Moses that same day, saying, 49“Go up into this mountain of Abarim, to Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is across from Jericho; and see the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel for a possession. 50Die on the mountain where you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor, and was gathered to his people; 51because you trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah of Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because you didn’t uphold my holiness among the children of Israel. 52For you shall see the land from a distance; but you shall not go there into the land which I give the children of Israel.”

When Moses finishes reciting the words of the law to Israel, he presses upon them how much these words matter: Set your heart to all the words which I testify to you today. For it is no vain thing for you, because it is your life. God's word, Moses says, is not a vain or trivial thing, not a matter of little importance; it is their very life. To take God's word to heart is not to burden oneself with trivia, but to lay hold of life itself; the word of God is that important, that vital.

Notice how Moses describes God's word: not a vain thing, but their life. He does not present the law as a collection of unimportant rules, a burden of trivia; he presents it as their very life, the thing on which their flourishing and their days depended. God's word was not trivial or optional, a matter of little consequence; it was vital, life itself. To set the heart on it was to lay hold of life; to neglect it was to neglect one's own life. The word of God was of the highest importance, their very life, not a vain or trivial thing.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can treat God's word as a trivial or optional thing, rather than as our very life. We can regard God's word as unimportant, a matter of little consequence, a burden of rules we can take or leave; but Moses said it is not a vain thing, it is your life. God's word is not trivial or optional; it is vital, life itself, of the highest importance for us. Do not treat God's word as a trivial or optional thing, of little consequence; set your heart on it as your very life, as Moses urged Israel. Give God's word the place it deserves, as your life and not a vain thing, setting your heart on it rather than neglecting it as trivial; for God's word is no vain thing but your very life, as Moses testified to Israel, urging them to set their hearts on all its words as the life on which their flourishing depended.

Lord, when Moses finishes reciting the words of the law to Israel, he presses upon them how much these words matter: set your heart to all the words which I testify to you today. For it is no vain thing for you, because it is your life. Your word, Moses says, is not a vain or trivial thing; it is their very life. To take your word to heart is not to burden oneself with trivia, but to lay hold of life itself. Show me how Moses describes your word: not a vain thing, but their life. He does not present the law as a collection of unimportant rules; he presents it as their very life, the thing on which their flourishing depended. Your word was not trivial or optional; it was vital, life itself. To set the heart on it was to lay hold of life; to neglect it was to neglect one's own life. Take that to my heart, for I can treat your word as a trivial or optional thing, rather than as my very life. I can regard your word as unimportant, a burden of rules I can take or leave; but Moses said it is not a vain thing, it is your life. Your word is not trivial; it is vital, of the highest importance. Keep me from treating your word as a trivial or optional thing; help me set my heart on it as my very life, Lord, as Moses urged Israel. Help me give your word the place it deserves, as my life and not a vain thing, setting my heart on it rather than neglecting it.