Jesus calls us to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. But how do we express such love in our daily lives? In today’s passage, Moses gives us several good ideas.

First, we must love God by seeking to live holy lives. In Moses’ time, this was at least partially expressed in what people ate – staying away from certain animals, especially those that typically came into contact with dead things (see Leviticus 11). But as Jesus explained, it’s not what goes into our mouths that makes us unclean – it’s the evil thoughts and feelings that come out of our hearts (Mark 7:18-23). If we are to love God with all we are and all we have, then our hearts, minds, and souls must be pure.

The love for God that is within our hearts must therefore be expressed with our lips. In contrast, some people go so far as to curse God, blaming Him for the misfortunes in their lives (v. 28). But more often, we hear people use God’s name casually, simply to intensify what they are saying.

But love for God must lead to words of reverence – the same kind of reverence with which we speak of our political heroes. So whether you remember Martin Luther King, Jr., in late January or whether you celebrate Robert E. Lee’s birthday (or both!), God deserves the same sort of respect and honor – and we should speak of Him with the same kind of awe.

But we must also love God with our things. In Moses’ time, the people expressed this love by giving Him His tenth right off the top – the firstborn of their animals and the firstfruits of their harvest. In the same way, God deserves to be more than an afterthought in our budgets. Instead, we should plan our giving first, and then adjust the rest of our spending accordingly.

And then, we must love God in our families. Verse 29 might seem shocking at first, but we must remember that God saved His people from the ravages of the tenth plague on the Egyptians – He passed over them while slaying the firstborn of all the people and animals in Egypt (Exodus 12:29-30). So, just as God’s people dedicated their firstborn sons to Him (and they accomplished this in the book of Numbers by setting the entire tribe of Levi apart for His service), shouldn’t we dedicate all of our children to God? Shouldn’t we do our best to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, to bring them to faith in Him? After all, it cost God His firstborn Son to save all His people. Could He deserve anything less from us?

Exodus 22:28-31 (NASB)

28 “You shall not curse God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
29 “You shall not delay the offering from your harvest and your vintage. The first-born of your sons you shall give to Me.
30 “You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep. It shall be with its mother seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me.
31 “And you shall be holy men to Me, therefore you shall not eat any flesh torn to pieces in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.