Instructions to Live By
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
Have you ever bought something without the owners manual and really didn’t know how to properly use the product? That can be very frustrating! Having the instructions on how to use a product you purchased is important to the enjoyment of the product.
Having instructions for life is also important to the enjoyment of your life. You often hear people say that the instruction manual was not included when a child was born. That is not true! God does give us an instruction manual on how we should live, and that instruction manual is the Word of God. God’s Word is the instructions by which we should live. If you live according to those instructions, then you will find the greatest enjoyment in life, but if you ignore those instructions you will find life will not be as enjoyable as God intended for it to be.
There are several things God says in these verses on how we should live. The first thing we learn is that the Scriptures should be of great value to us. Notice that He says, “And these words…shall be in thine heart:…” Without the Word of God in your heart, you will find that sin will be a regular part of your life. God says in Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” You will never find enjoyment in life without taking God’s Word to heart and making It important.
Second, you should be diligent to teach God’s Word to your family and others. The word “diligently” means to be careful or conscientious that you teach God’s Word correctly. Don’t be flippant about the Word of God. When it is time to read the Scriptures and to teach them, you should be careful not to add your preference, but make God’s Word the basis of what you teach.
Third, you should begin early with God’s Word. The importance of getting your instructions from God early in the morning cannot be stressed enough. I know you hear this often, but do you read God’s Word first thing every morning? Don’t wait till later in the day to get your instructions, but “when thou risest up” be sure to take time in God’s Word.
Fourth, incorporate God’s commandments in your daily life. God says in verse 8 that you are to “bind them…upon thy hand…” In other words, you should have daily reminders to serve the LORD. The Israelites would often tie a not on a garment to remind them of God’s commandments. I don’t know what you need to do, but God’s commandments need to be incorporated in your financial life, family, workplace, marriage, church and personal life. No matter what you do, you need to be sure to incorporate God’s commandments in every aspect of your life.
Christian, don’t take God’s commandments lightly. If you will live by them, you will find enjoyment to its fullest in your life.