Passage Read: Deuteronomy 12-15
Meditation Verses: 13:6-9
Thought
This requires such loyalty and devotion to the Lord, to be so jealous for the Lord that you would be the first to throw a stone at your child or wife or dearest friend to kill them. This is what it means to love the Lord with all your heart, and this reveals who you love most, who is your god. Yet these are not merely those who don't diligently walk in the Lord's ways, these are people who have counseled rebellion against the Lord, to turn away from Him and worship and serve other gods. The disobedient need discipline, rebuke and correction, but those who encourage abandoning the Lord should cause us such offense that we earnestly rebuke them, and if they continue to counsel turning to other gods, they need to be turned in to the authorities for judgment. And wherever turns them in needs to be first to carry out their sentence of death.
Application
This is not a law I can or need to enforce today, but it does reveal the heart I should have, a heart to love the Lord more than I love any human being. There can be no person closer or more precious to me than the Lord. That means the most precious and dearest people to me should be those who likewise love and serve the Lord above all. Whether in marriage or business or friendship or family, whatever the relationship. I can work with many people, but the ones I care most for and allow nearest in heart and influence to me should be those who are as devoted or more devoted to the Lord than me, so that we all encourage each other to greater love and faithfulness.