Know, recognize, and understand therefore this day and turn your [mind and] heart to it that the Lord is God in the heavens above and upon the earth beneath; there is no other.
Deuteronomy 4:39 AMPC
In the narrative following Deuteronomy 4:39, Moses imparts wisdom akin to 1 John 3:22, emphasising the importance of obeying God’s directives. However, addressing a new generation born in the wilderness, Moses underscores the preliminary requirements for sincere and correct obedience. He intended for this proclamation, reaching the Israelites as they neared the promised land, to be more than just intellectual understanding. It was a call to full-hearted acknowledgement, an invitation to live within the reality of their God’s sovereignty.
Know, recognize, and understand therefore this day and turn your [mind and] heart to it that the Lord is God in the heavens above and upon the earth beneath; there is no other. Therefore, you shall keep His statutes and His commandments, which I command you this day, that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God gives you forever.
Deuteronomy 4:39-40 AMPC
This knowing wasn’t just for then; it extends to us today. Obedience to God’s statutes requires more than mere acknowledgment; it demands heartfelt recognition of His sovereignty. Without this foundational understanding, true reverence and service to Him remain elusive. Therefore. we need to know God personally and intimately, not just intellectually. We need to turn our whole being to Him, and surrender to His will and purpose for our lives. We need to obey His word and follow His plan, so that we can please Him and enjoy His blessings. The more we dwell in His presence, the better equipped we are to obey His instructions and please Him.
But how can we know God personally and intimately? How can we turn our whole being to Him? How can we obey His word and follow His plan?
Hear what God says: “When the time came for me to show you favor, I heard you; when the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you.” Listen! This is the hour to receive God’s favor; today is the day to be saved!
2 Corinthians 6:2 GNT
Yet, often, when confronted with verses like Deuteronomy 4:39, we fixate on the obvious and ‘loud’ commands – “Know, recognize, and understand…” – overlooking the subtle yet crucial details. Imagine an exam where, upon receiving instructions and the paper, you delay starting until near the end. The result? Incomplete answers and wasted potential. In this case you are most likely to end up like one who did not even sit for exam. Similarly, delayed obedience risks mirroring outright disobedience. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:1, “As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.”
Therefore, the call to “Know, recognize, and understand therefore this day and turn your [mind and] heart to it…” carries an urgency. It’s an invitation best heeded today, not tomorrow.
Bro. Gbile Akanni gave an illustration about being young in the light of Lamentations 3:27. He said: “What makes you old are the things that lie behind you, those things that you are older than. But what lies ahead of you, those things that are older than you, is what makes you young. If in ten years’ time God has not yet called you home, it means then you will refer to your life now as, ‘when I was younger.’ So, any man who is hoping to be alive and achieve some greater good for God than he is presently doing is yet young at heart. So, if you want to take upon you the yoke of divine disciplinary dealings that will prepare you for a future you hope for, then the scriptures say…take it now that you are young, younger than that future.”
Therefore, let us not waste our time and opportunity any further. Let us not receive God’s grace in vain. God is calling out to us, let us not delay our obedience and surrender. Let us do it today; let us do it now.
Remember, every day lived is a gift, not a guarantee. Do not postpone the divine instructions waiting to be obeyed. Don’t gamble on a future you may never see. There’s no better time to embrace God’s sovereignty, understand His will, and walk in obedience than this very moment. Today, let your heart turn to Him, not just in knowledge, but in full surrender and love.
