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Daily Devotion: Deuteronomy 18:13-14

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Deuteronomy 18:13-14    "Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.  (14)  For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do."

Much of the book of Deuteronomy is spent in warning the people about the actons of the people in Canaan that were about to be driven out of the land. God is telling His people not to take up their actions nor their way of worshiping idols. One of the things done by the Canaanites was to look to witchcraft, diviners (magicians), observers of times (astrology) or any such thing that is man made, in order to make their determination of action.  

How then were the people to find instruction and direction in their lives, if they were not to look to these things?  "Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God."  Let's have just a quick reminder concerning the word, "perfect".  What does it mean to be "perfect with the LORD"?  We tend to think of this word as being without fault. We say something is perfect when, in our estimation, it could not be improved upon in any way. God was not telling Israel, nor is He telling us today, that we must walk before Him without any fault or blemish.  So, what does the word mean?  Generally in the Word of God, we see the word perfect being used as meaning complete or mature.

Try reading verse 13 with that meaning and it will say, "Thou shalt be 'complete' with the LORD thy God."  There is an old Gospel song that I love and it touches my very heart. It was sung by Gary Sheppard of the Kingsmen Quartet several years ago. "He's all I need when I Just need someone to talk to. He's always there to hear my prayer each time I call Him. All my need He supplies, My thirsty soul He satisfies. He's the Lord of all and He's all I need. He comforts me when I'm weary, eases every pain. Fills my deepest longing, time and time again. He's my soul's inspiration, my heart's consolation. He's my everything. He's all I need."  God's design and desire for His children was/is that we find in Him everything that we need to make our lives complete.

Paul tells us in the book of Colossians, chapter 2:9-10, "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  (10)  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power." This is speaking of our precious Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  We find complete fulfillment, maturity, and confidence in Him. Truly, as we look to Jesus, we find He is indeed "all we need."  When we do that, we find the Lord God adds to us those things in this life which are necessary.  "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

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