“But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cleave unto Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Joshua 22:5).

This exhortation by Joshua to the tribes that would be living east of the Jordan, away from the tabernacle and most of their brethren, is still of relevance today—especially to those whose ministry requires them to live far away from some central place of Christian teaching and fellowship. It is given in six parts, each beginning with an infinitive (“to . . .”), and expresses a key aspect of our relation to God.

We should give diligent heed to: “Do the commandment and the law.” That is, be careful to obey the word of God. “Love the Lord your God.” This, according to Christ, is “the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37,38). We must give first priority to the worship of God. “Walk in all His ways.” The day-by-day words and deeds of the believer should always be consistent with the nature of God, whether or not there are specific references governing each one in Scripture. Our behavior should be characteristic of the ways of God. “Keep His commandments.” The essential meaning of the Hebrew word here for “keep” is to guard! We are to defend His word against its enemies, fighting the war of God. “Cleave unto Him.” We should stay in such close communion with Him that we can always know and follow the will of God. “Serve Him.” As we are faithful in the foregoing duties, we are then able, wholeheartedly, to serve in His name and to do the work of God. HMM