Mensa Otabil - Keep God's Commandments (10/28/2025)
This week, we are looking at the Book of Proverbs, and we’re going to focus on Proverbs chapter 3. There are quite a few interesting observations we’re going to make in the Book of Proverbs, which guides us practically with wisdom. We start with Proverbs 3:1 — 2: My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands, for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you. The Book of Proverbs is a very practical book; it gives us practical guidance for how to run our lives in a godly way, and it is based on observations that the children of Israel made concerning their dealings with God. It teaches us very valuable lessons for everyday living.
So, the first thing we notice in chapter 3:1 is the nature of God’s word, and the passage describes the word of God as law: «My son, do not forget my law.» God’s word is not a suggestion, and when we read God’s word, He is not giving us an option that we can exercise, either to follow or not to follow. God’s word is the rule. Yes, you can decide not to follow the rule, but it is still the rule, and any time you depart from it, you are departing from the standard. The word of God is law; it is a rule, and it is also a command. It’s not something that you can really debate or negotiate. God’s word is law, and God’s word is a command.
The address goes to a person who is now receiving God’s word; he is called my son, and we can also say my daughter. The instructions here come from a higher authority to a lower authority. The word of God is law, and the word of God is a command. The second thing it says is to let your heart keep them. That means that God’s word is something we must hide in our hearts; it’s something we must observe, something we must apply to our lives, something we must live by. It is a rule by which we live our lives, and it states that when we do that, there are benefits. It says that the word of God will give us length of days, long life, and peace. Length of days, long life, and peace- I suppose that’s what we are all looking for. We want to live long, we want to have a good life, and we want to have peace in our lives.
How do we achieve this? By seeing the word of God as law and as a command. That is the first approach we have to God’s word so that when we come to it, we allow it to rule over our own thoughts, our own desires, and our own expectations. We must not take what is in our culture and let it be higher than what is in the word of God. We should not take what we’ve learned in a book and place it higher than the word of God. The word of God is the law, it is the rule, and it is our command. I pray that this week, as we encounter all these Proverbs and practical guides from God’s word, you will take it as rule and you will take it as command. Then you will have long life, and you will experience a lot of peace.
Let’s share a word of prayer together. Say with me: Heavenly Father, your word is my instruction. Teach me how to apply your word to all aspects of my life. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.