Deuteronomy 11:18 Therefore shall you lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be frontlets between your eyes.
The Jewish interpretation of this verse led them to make phylacteries. It was a little leather box, which enclosed a portion of the law, with a little band, so that it could be strapped to the head. It was worn on the head in such a way that the little box containing the Word would be situated on the forehead between the eyes.
Obviously, this verse is figurative. Wearing a portion of the Word on your head isn’t important, but understanding what God is saying is. The area of the forehead between the eyes speaks of one’s focus. So what is the Lord telling us? He is saying that we should keep our focus on the Word. Just wearing a little box with a portion of the Word inside won’t accomplish anything, but keeping our hearts focused on the Word will.
Deuteronomy 11:19-20 And you shall teach them your children, speaking of
them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, when
you lie down, and when you rises up.
20 And you shall write them upon the door posts of
your house, and upon your gates.
That which the heart is focused on will come out of the mouth (Matthew 15:18). A life that is focused on the Lord will radiate His presence. We want to become so one with Him that our response to a given situation is His response. We do not want to have to stop and think, “What would Jesus do in this situation?” If we have to figure out what He would do, then we are still separated from Him. We can become so filled with the Word that we will automatically respond accordingly. As we walk with the Lord, we learn to let Him live through us.
A walk with God involves dedication, study of the Word, prayer, faith and many other things, which are all proceeded by an irrevocable decision to walk with Him. However, we do not want to become ritualistic and legalistic. For example, we are not going to regimentally pray thirty minutes each day, read three chapters in the Bible each day, do three good deeds each day, etc. If that’s the case, we might as well take a little box, put a portion of Scripture in it, and strap it to our heads. We’re talking about a way of life, not religious rules and regulations. We can teach our spirit to pray without ceasing. Our hearts can be set upon the Lord at all times. Be aware that you are always in His presence, that He is in you and you are in Him. Whatever your life is involved in, you and the Lord are doing it together. That is a walk with God.
Copyright © 1997 by Henry DuBose