Deuteronomy 26:17–18: “Today you have proclaimed the LORD to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice. Also today the LORD has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments . . .”

March 13th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

When God first brought His people out of Egypt, He made a covenant with them that if He was their God and they walked in His ways, then they would be a special people to Him. In Deuteronomy 26, the next generation of His people were again proclaiming this covenant before entering the land. It was much like a renewal of marriage vows—an informal ceremony done at the request of couples at different times, for different reasons. Sometimes it’s to mark a special occasion, like a 25th or 50th wedding anniversary. Other times it’s after a couple has successfully made it through a difficult time in their married life. It’s frequently done at the closing of a weekend Couple’s Retreat. Whatever the reason, it’s usually a very meaningful occasion for the people doing it. It doesn’t make them any more married than they were before, the spoken vows have no legal power on earth or in heaven, but it does serve a useful purpose.

The renewal of vows reminds us of something important we have committed to doing. Humanity is notoriously forgetful. It is a rare person who frequently remembers the importance of the commitments they have made to others, especially to those they care deeply about. So setting aside a time to remember our vows becomes a guidepost in life. Here in Deuteronomy 26, the people were remembering that they had committed to follow the LORD. From a New Testament believers’ perspective, we can remember the moment we asked for forgiveness and surrendered to God’s Lordship over our lives. Our re-birthday comes once a year, every year, and it serves to remind us of our vow to God, to follow Him and serve Him as long as we breathe. Today as we read these verses, let’s remember that vow again.

“LORD, we surrender again, afresh, to You. Forgive our sin; take all of our life, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our heart, in Jesus’ name.”