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Today’s reading—Deuteronomy 11–13—centers on two deeply intertwined themes: love for God and obedience to Him. Once again, the idea from yesterday’s blog rings true: the Bible is one continuous story. We see this clearly in Deuteronomy 11:13, where Moses writes:

“And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil.”

Reading this reminded me of John’s writings that connected love to obedience. Jesus said,

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

And again in 1 John 5:3,

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”

While we’re not promised the same blessings Israel was—land, long life, and agricultural provision—we’re given something even better: the indwelling presence of Christ, the promise of growing up to the full maturity that is found in Christ, and the assurance of eternal life with God.

Moses didn’t only speak of the blessings of obedience—he warned of the consequences of disobedience as well. Ignoring God’s commands and turning to other gods would result in the removal of His provision and their exile from the land.

One contrast we don’t want to miss is when Moses compares Egypt to the Promised Land. Egypt was sustained by human effort and ingenuity—watering fields manually like a vegetable garden. But the Promised Land? It was maintained when the people were totally and desperately dependent on God’s provision. Moses explains:

“For the land you are entering to possess is not like the land of Egypt, from which you came, where you sowed your seed and irrigated it with your foot, like a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing into is a land of hills and valleys that drinks water from the rain of heaven—a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning to the end of the year.” (Deuteronomy 11:10–12)

Moses was clear: the best life is one marked by mutual love—God’s love for His people and their love for Him, expressed through faithful obedience. Under the New Covenant, we as Christ followers have been similarly chosen and given “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3). And so, our response should be to love God fully and follow Christ wholeheartedly.

Jesus summarized this perfectly in Matthew 22:37–39:

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Takeaway: God’s blessings flow from relationship. He’s initiated that love relationship by providing for our greatest need in Christ—our response should be obedience, a loving response not a legal requirement. Just as the land depended on rain from heaven, our lives flourish when we depend on His Word and walk in His ways. Choose today to love God deeply, obey Him fully, and trust Him completely. That’s when the mutual friendship experiences the optimum benefits.