By Mike Caton

Exodus 24:3, “When Moses went and told the people all the LORD’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, ‘Everything the LORD has said we will do.’”

The covenant God made with the Israelites was not just made with Moses. He was the one God spoke to, and consequently spoke through to the people. But it was the people themselves who had to make the commitment. And that is why Moses went and told the people everything God had told him. We might wonder how Moses was able to remember all these things, but the next verse tells us he wrote down everything the Lord had said. And remember, God was speaking through Moses, God would make sure that the things he told the people and the things he wrote down were the right things.

The people’s response here is the important thing. They said they would do everything the Lord has said. Now think about that, are they really going to do everything the Lord has told them? If you know anything about human nature, you know this is not going to happen. And if you know anything about the rest of the Old Testament, you know this certainly did not happen. But at this point, the people agree to it, they are confirming the covenant they have made with the Lord. And they fully believe and are sincere about their commitment. They want to do everything the Lord has told them, they promise to, and they really think they are going to do all of these things. But of course, we know the rest of the story.

This is the way we need to enter our relationship with the Lord, and we need to renew this and believe this every day. We need to start each day 100% committed to the Lord, 100% committed to doing everything he has told us. And when we fail, we come to him and admit it. God has promised to forgive us, if we confess and repent. We need to remember the soldier going into battle. Does he decide he is not going to get shot too many times that day? Or does he decide he is not going to get shot at all? It is the same with our commitment to avoid sin, most of us just think, I’ll not do too many bad things. But we need to commit to not doing any sinful thing that day.

Father, help me do everything you have said. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works as a full time AEMT with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

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