Go! And Write God’s Word on Your Heart - Deuteronomy 11:18
Introduction: Words That Shape a Life
We live in a world drowning in words. Words flood our phones, our televisions, our conversations. Politicians promise with words, advertisers manipulate with words, social media distracts with words. Yet in all this noise, there is one Word that matters above all others—the Word of God.
Deuteronomy 11:18 (NLT) commands us: “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.”
This isn’t casual advice. This is a divine imperative. God is telling His people: My Word must not only be read—it must be lived. My truth must not only be heard—it must be written on your very being.
Let us consider together:
What does it mean to commit to God’s Word wholeheartedly?
How do we inscribe His truth on our lives in a way that points others to Jesus Christ?
And how does all of this drive us to the Gospel—the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ alone?
Point 1: God’s Word Must Be Engraved on the Heart
The Hebrew phrase in Deuteronomy 11:18 begins with “??????????? ???????????? ?????? ?????????????” (vesamtem et-devarai eleh al-levavchem)—literally: “Place these words of mine on your heart.”
The heart, in Hebrew thought, is not just the seat of emotions but the centre of will, intellect, and decision. To place God’s Word on your heart is to let His truth govern your mind, guide your choices, and shape your desires.
Psalm 119:11 (NLT) echoes this: “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
When Scripture is internalised, it becomes our safeguard against temptation and sin.
John Piper said, “Memorising Scripture is one way of fighting sin. It is a way of making sure the sword of the Spirit is always ready at hand.”
And friends, isn’t that exactly what we need in the 21st century? In a culture where lies are celebrated as truth, where sin is normalised, we need the sword of the Spirit engraved on our hearts so that we can stand firm in Christ.
A young soldier at war received a letter from his father. He carried it in his pocket every day. It was worn, creased, and torn because he read it constantly. He knew the words by heart. Why? Because those words connected him to his father’s love. Beloved, God has written us a letter—His Word. How often do we carry it close, read it, and let it remind us of our Father’s love?
The Word is not meant to stay on your shelf—it is meant to live in your soul. Read it daily. Meditate on it. Memorise it. Let it become your reflex in times of trouble and your anchor in times of doubt.
Point 2: God’s Word Must Shape Our Actions
Deuteronomy 11:18 continues: “Tie them to your hands…”
Hands symbolise action. To bind God’s Word to our hands is to let Scripture guide our deeds. Our work, our service, our generosity, our justice—all should be marked by God’s truth.
James 1:22 (NLT) warns us: “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”
Max Lucado wrote, “The Bible was not given just for our information, but for our transformation.” And I agree. It is not enough to know Scripture intellectually—it must shape our living practically.
Think of Micah 6:8 (NLT): “O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
God’s Word on our hands means His love is seen in our actions.
Illustration 2: The Carpenter’s Tools
A carpenter’s tools are not meant to sit polished on a shelf—they are meant to shape wood into something beautiful. In the same way, God’s Word is not given to decorate our minds with knowledge, but to shape our lives into something Christlike.
Ask yourself: Do my hands reveal God’s Word? When I work, when I serve, when I speak—do others see Christ in me?
Point 3: God’s Word Must Mark Our Identity
The verse continues: “…and wear them on your forehead as reminders.”
The forehead symbolises identity and thought. In ancient Israel, phylacteries—small boxes containing Scripture—were worn on the forehead and arm as a visible reminder of God’s law. But Moses’ command goes deeper: God’s Word is meant to define who we are.
Romans 12:2 (NLT) says: “Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Tim Keller said, “What the heart most wants, the mind finds reasonable, the emotions find desirable, and the will finds doable.” In other words, when God’s Word saturates our identity, our entire life is reoriented around Him.
In a culture obsessed with labels and identities, we must reclaim this truth: Our primary identity is not in our career, our politics, or even our family. It is in Christ Jesus, the Living Word made flesh.
The Gospel Connection: Jesus, the Living Word
All of Scripture points to Christ. John 1:14 (NLT) declares: “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”
The written Word prepares us for the Living Word—Jesus Christ.
At the cross, Jesus embodied Deuteronomy 11:18 perfectly. His heart was fully committed to the Father’s will. His hands bore the nails for our salvation. His forehead was marked with a crown of thorns, so that our minds could be renewed.
He died for our sins. He was buried. And on the third day, He rose again—victorious over sin and death.
Romans 10:9 (NLT) promises: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
That is the good news of the Gospel.
Call to Action: Go! And Write God’s Word on Your Life
So what must we do?
Engrave Scripture on your heart. Make daily time in God’s Word a non-negotiable.
Let God’s Word guide your actions. Be doers of the Word, not hearers only.
Let God’s Word shape your identity. Live as those marked by Christ.
Charles Stanley said, “Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.” That is the essence of a Word-shaped life.
Invitation to Salvation:
Friend, maybe you have filled your life with many words—your own words, the world’s words—but not God’s Word. Perhaps you have never surrendered to the Living Word, Jesus Christ.
Today is the day to repent. To turn from sin. To trust in Christ as Lord and Saviour. To let His Word define your heart, your hands, and your mind.
Acts 16:31 (NLT): “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.”
Come to Him today.
Conclusion:
God’s Word is not meant to be distant ink on a page—it is meant to be written on your life. When you commit to His Word, you will find strength for trials, clarity in confusion, and hope for eternity.
So go! And write God’s Word on your heart, your hands, and your head—so that in all things Christ is exalted.
Benediction:
“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” (Colossians 3:16, NLT)
Amen.
