Read Deut. 4:1-14
The Lord fills the soul with His Holy Spirit, but Scripture cautions us that we are not just passive recepticals.
“Keep your soul diligently, lest you forget…”
Moses exhorted the people to watch and preserve their souls, and he told them to do it diligenty. He meant with force, exceedingly.
The Lord gives us the spiritual tools we need, but we must exert ourselves to use them.
When we do, the Lord promises that our obedience will result in both the skill and the faculty to do what He has asked.
Hard work pays off. My older son worked all summer last summer hauling garbage. It was disgusting, sweaty work, but his dad gave him the tools he needed and also offered to pay him.
My son saved all summer and finally had enough to purchase the kayak he had been saving for.
He kept to his task diligently, and his father gave him both the skills and tools to do the work. Every weekend, his father paid him, and he kept his earnings diligently as well. Finally, he had saved enough to purchase his reward.
The Lord has tasked us to keep our hearts diligently, not allowing idolatry or sin to creep in. He shows us how and gives us the tools we need. As we obey, the process of progressive sanctification makes us more fit to be Kingdom citizens.
One day, He will have finished His work in us, and He will call us home, welcoming us into the reward of His eternal presence. The diligence will pay off, and our souls will be doubly full.
Sarah Dixon Young 