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Daily Devotion: Deuteronomy 14:1-2

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Deuteronomy 14:1-2    "Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.  (2)  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth."

What a statement to consider today!  "YE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE LORD."  Can you imagine how life would be if we all could hold this statement before our eyes each and every day?  If we truly understood the impact of that statement, our lives would be filled with praise, honor, and glory being given to our Heavenly Father.  God is very bold in making that statement. But, how bold are we in living that statement?

All of the directions that are given in the book of Deuteronomy are words of instruction that direct us in the paths that allow us to shine as children of God. "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee" (Isaiah 60:1).  God does not tell us something that we are not also given the ability to perform.  We are not to dwell in the darkness of the world. Yes, we live in the world and we are surrounded by darkness that fills the society in which we live. But the Lord tells us that we are to be different and we are to make a difference in this world.

Paul directs us that we are to be lights in this world. Let's review his words as inspired by the Holy Spirit.  "In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation," we are to "shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15).  How are we to let our lights shine?  What are we to use as the "flashlight of our lives"? He tells us that we are to hold "forth the word of life" (Philippians 2:15-16).  The Word of God is that which allows us to shine as "the children of the LORD."

As we allow the light of Jesus Christ to shine in and through us, we fulfill the purpose God has given us in life. We are an holy people unto the Lord. God has chosen us to be a peculiar people. What does that mean? Many people have different ideas as to how we are to be that peculiar people in the world. Let's be reminded of what the Apostle Peter had to say about this subject.  "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." (1 Peter 2:9) Peter is reaffirming the words of Moses from Deuteronomy.

We are to be a peculiar people. What does that mean? A peculiar people are a purchased people with purpose. Yes, we are to be different from those that are worldly minded. I repeat the words of Moses: We "are the children of the LORD."  We have been given the purpose of showing Christ in our lives. We are to be different. We are to be bold. None of these things are the result of our own initiative; rather, we are to be boldly different as we shine the light of Christ by walking in the directives of God's Word.

We are God's children. May we be diligent in living our lives to fulfill the purpose given to us.

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