Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25
Ekev (‘If’, or ‘because’ – inferring a consequence)
Do you, like me, sometimes have ‘What if?’ thoughts about times past when you were faced with major choices – a fork in the path which would change the course of your future?
Maybe to accept a job in another part of the country, or abroad? Or a decision about whether to (or who to) marry? There are many such life-changing choices in most people’s lives. God has a hand in these.
Israel’s Decision
Our ‘thought’ this week concerns such a decision. For ancient Israel it came after God’s beautiful and faithful husbandly confession that He had chosen Israel because she was special to Him, and because of His great love for her (Deut 7:8). He called her to love Him with all her heart by listening to Him (Sh’ma Yisrael) and by keeping separate from the gods of all other nations around (Deut 6:14). In that way, the consequences of wickedness and disobedience to His ways could be avoided, and He would richly bless them.
But, although the LORD would remain faithful, His blessing and protection were conditional upon Israel’s obedience to His covenant with them. Moses said to the people: If (ekev) you pay attention (sh’ma = hearken) to these laws, to keep and observe them, and walk in His ways, and revere Him, then you will be blessed above all people (Deut 7:12, 8:6, 7:14) and go in to possess the land He promised you. But be careful! Should you ever forget the LORD your God, and follow and worship other gods, you will surely perish (Deut 8:19). Clearly, for Israel, these decisions would be life-changing.
A Matter of the Heart
For us too, when we decide to respond to God’s love in Jesus by seeking to obey His laws, we must remember that He looks on the heart, on our motivation and intentions. Like Israel, we too are called to love our LORD whole-heartedly – levavcha = with all our heart (lev, Deut 6:5; Matt 22:37). Do we love the LORD our God with ALL our heart (with everything we have)?
Circumcision of the Heart
Sometimes, something in us blocks this unbridled love for our loving God. We are not willing, or there is a hardening of our heart against faith or belief in Him (Mark 6:52). It is a covering on our heart which needs to be cut away. In Torah, God calls this process ‘circumcision of the heart’, i.e. the removal of the barrier that prevents God’s word from entering, or the free expression of our love and worship of Him alone, and that permits loose living, speaking and thinking, especially in the lives of those who will not see Him for who He is (Mark 8:17). This renewal enables us to love Him with all our heart, for circumcision of the heart signifies the consecration of our life to God (Deut 10:16, 30:6).
Jeremiah puts the responsibility for this upon us – “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD” (Jer 4:4). Paul also clarifies this by saying that the true sign of one belonging to God is not a physical mark, but a circumcision of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter (Rom 2:29). Jesus echoes this, being deeply distressed at the hardness of the Pharisees’ hearts regarding healing on the sabbath (Mark 3:5).
This life-changing decision for us requires three life-changing actions:
- The cutting away of the dull covering of unbelief on our heart;
- An inward transformation by the Holy Spirit – a covenant renewal;
- A dedication to life-long discipleship to follow Jesus.
If we accept and embrace these actions, then God will do for us what He promises to do for His people Israel: give us a new heart and put a new spirit within us, so that His Holy Spirit will move us to follow His decrees and be careful to keep His laws (Ezek 36:26-27). That will be a life-changing decision which will bless us and bless the LORD.
That’s what our heavenly Father longs to do for all His children, that we might love Him with ALL our heart – and He will bless us. At forks in our life’s path, this is what we all long for too, isn’t it?
