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)