Deuteronomy 10:12-22 (GNT) What God Demands
“Now, people of Israel, listen to what the Lord your God demands of you: Worship the Lord and do all that he commands. Love him, serve him with all your heart, and obey all his laws. I am giving them to you today for your benefit. To the Lord belong even the highest heavens; the earth is his also, and everything on it. But the Lord’s love for your ancestors was so strong that he chose you instead of any other people, and you are still his chosen people. So then, from now on be obedient to the Lord and stop being stubborn. The Lord your God is supreme over all gods and over all powers. He is great and mighty, and he is to be obeyed. He does not show partiality, and he does not accept bribes. He makes sure that orphans and widows are treated fairly; he loves the foreigners who live with our people and gives them food and clothes. So then, show love for those foreigners, because you were once foreigners in Egypt. Have reverence for the Lord your God and worship only him. Be faithful to him and make your promises in his name alone. Praise him—he is your God, and you have seen with your own eyes the great and astounding things that he has done for you. When your ancestors went to Egypt, there were only seventy of them. But now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky…”
Devotion
Our lives easily become busy, crowded, and congested. We rush from one thing to another, from the gym at 6AM to the emails at 8 to the client meeting at 10 to the dry cleaners at lunch to the Zoom call at 1 to the staff meeting at 3 to the drive thru on the way to soccer practice to the PTA meeting. We arrive drained and beaten at home at the end of the day; we drop into bed and then wake up the next day to do it all over again. Exhaustion is a status symbol. Productivity is proof of self-worth. We are wrapping a lot of candy. We’re too busy. We’re always running behind. We’re irritable. We’re overwhelmed before the day starts.
In the process, we squeeze space out of our lives. We squeeze space out and don’t have room enough for family. We squeeze space out and don’t have enough for friends. We squeeze space out and don’t have enough for ourselves. We squeeze space out and don’t have enough for God. Connections die from neglect.
One person can’t possibly keep up with a clean house, a fulfilling job, a well-adjusted family, an active social life, and a running workout of twenty miles a week, right? We embrace super habitstrackers, calendar overhauls, productivity planners, and daily goal checklists to figure out how to be better, until we pass out from emotional exhaustion or from physiological fatigue, or we give up completely and head back to the house for a shame-filled Old Fashioned.
The faster we go the more likely we are to crash, but we just keep spinning the playground carousel faster and faster. We think if we get all the urgent stuff done, then tomorrow we’ll have time for what’s important. But we never do. Busy is not our friend. Only a toxic friend leaves you anxious, overwhelmed, discouraged, exhausted, stressed, inadequate, and resentful. The speed and busyness of our lives is in direct opposition to what we say matters most. Today is important. Today is important in and of itself and not just as a gateway to some idyllic tomorrow. Feeling good about today matters. John Lennon said that life is what happens while you are busy making other plans; today is what happens when you are looking beyond to tomorrows.
Chaos does not demonstrate value in our day. Resting does not have to be in service ofproductivity. Making space in our lives can be valuable in and of itself. It does not have to contribute to our ability to contribute more. You’re allowed to sit on your couch and read a book. It doesn’t have to be because it’ll make you more creative when you go back to work on Monday. You can meet a friend for coffee in the middle of the day. You can go for a walk. You can paint. You can nap. You can garden. You can listen to music. You can call your Mom. You can think. You can pray.
Prayer
Lord, in the rush of our crowded lives, help us slow down and make space for You. Free us from the grip of busyness that leaves us weary and distant from what truly matters. May we trust in Your presence today, not just in hindsight, but in each moment of our journey. Amen.
Joe Parisi