The Hebrew word "Torah", often translated as "Law," is better understood as instruction or guidance from Yehovah. While it contains commandments, to those in love with Yehovah, it is not a set of rules to be followed out of fear. It becomes an expression of His loving guidance, drawing His people closer to Him. For someone who truly loves Yehovah, the Torah is not experienced as burdensome injunctions, but as the joyful pursuit of deeper intimacy and understanding. Walking in Torah as a way of life is not motivated by fear at all … it is endeavouring to walk hand-in-Hand with the One we love!
A Love that Seeks More: Growing Through Obedience
For the heart in love with Yehovah, obeying the first and greatest commandment … to love Him with all one’s heart, soul, and might … naturally leads to a desire for more commandments. This person seeks out additional ways to express their love and devotion, recognizing that every commandment followed is a deeper step into their relationship with Yehovah. Far from viewing Torah as a series of obligations, this heart sees it as an opportunity to grow even closer to Yehovah, finding new ways to demonstrate love and faithfulness.
Each new discovery in the Torah becomes a cause for rejoicing, not a burden to bear. The lover of Yehovah longs to obey more, not out of a sense of duty but from a place of passionate devotion … a true love-affair! Every new commandment obeyed is a deeper expression of their love than the day before. As David writes, “I will run the way of your commandments, for you enlarge my heart” (Psalm 119:32. The more the heart is filled with love for Yehovah, the more it seeks to obey His Torah with joy.
Repentance and Forgiveness: Growing Through Lapses
However, despite this desire to please Yehovah, we all experience moments of failure, lapses in obedience, and sin. Sin, at its core, is missing the mark, falling short of the standard set by Yehovah. The heart that loves Yehovah is deeply grieved by these lapses, not because of the fear of punishment, but because it has wounded the One it loves.
Yet, the beauty of the relationship with Yehovah is that failure is not the end. When we sin, we are invited to repent, to turn back to Yehovah with a heart full of humility and sorrow for having fallen short. Through the blood of Yeshua, forgiveness is offered freely. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Repentance is not simply about acknowledging failure; it’s about renewing our resolve to love Yehovah and walk in deeper obedience. For the person in love with Yehovah, each act of repentance is a fresh start, an opportunity to grow even closer to Him. There is no need to beat oneself up or dwell in self-condemnation. As the Apostle Paul writes, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Messiah Yeshua” (Romans 8:1). Instead, after repenting, the heart in love with Yehovah picks itself up, fully resolved to walk in greater faith and obedience than ever before.
Responding to New Light: A Joyful Transformation
Consider the example of someone who is walking in the light they have and then, for the first time, reads Leviticus 11, discovering Yehovah’s instructions regarding clean and unclean foods. They realise they have not been following these commandments. What does such a person do? Do they flagellate themselves, beating themselves up for their past ignorance? No! The heart that loves Yehovah does not wallow in guilt or self-punishment. Instead, they repent, thank Yehovah for revealing more of His will, and joyfully adjust their lifestyle to align with this newfound understanding.
In this case, they may go to their refrigerator, clean it out, ditch the pork, the ostrich, and other unclean foods. They stop ordering foods that violate Yehovah’s instructions, like crayfish thermidor, and instead begin to explore the rich and bountiful foods that Yehovah has graciously provided within the parameters of His Torah. This act of obedience is not viewed as a restriction but as an expression of freedom and joy, knowing they are walking more fully in alignment with Yehovah’s will.
The Joy of New Commandments: Freedom Through Torah
Each new commandment discovered and obeyed is a gift, another opportunity to express love for Yehovah. The person who is in love with Yehovah delights in every aspect of Torah, knowing that it leads to greater liberty and a deeper relationship with Him. As David wrote, “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all day” (Psalm 119:97). Torah is not seen as a limitation but as a pathway to true freedom, guiding us in how to live a life that is in harmony with Yehovah’s character and design.
And even when we stumble, Torah shows us the way back. Through repentance, we are restored and renewed, forgiven through the blood of Yeshua, and able to continue our walk of love and obedience with even greater resolve.
Sin, Repentance, and Growing in Obedience
The journey of obedience to Yehovah is a lifelong process, filled with moments of growth, failure, and renewal. When we sin, we must remember that we have an Advocate in Yeshua, whose blood cleanses us and allows us to start again. We are not called to perfection in the flesh, but to perfection in love … to love Yehovah with all our heart, soul, and strength. As we grow in our understanding of Torah, our love for Yehovah deepens, and we find ourselves seeking more and more ways to honour and obey Him.
This is why Torah is not simply a set of injunctions but a series of instructions … opportunities to deepen our relationship with Yehovah. Even when we stumble, we are reminded that His grace is sufficient, and we can always return to Him with a heart full of love and repentance.
Reflections
The Torah, when understood through the lens of love, becomes not a burden but a joyful pursuit. The heart that loves Yehovah seeks more commandments, understanding that each one is a deeper expression of love than the day before. And when we fail, we do not wallow in guilt, but turn back to Yehovah with repentance, receive His forgiveness through the blood of Yeshua, and continue to grow in faith and obedience.
In this love affair with Yehovah, Torah becomes the pathway to freedom and the means by which we express our ever-growing love for Him. Each commandment obeyed is a step closer to the One we love, and each act of repentance is an opportunity to grow in grace and truth. This is the heart of Torah: love-driven, joy-filled, and ever-seeking to go deeper in relationship with Yehovah!
e’Bed Doulos N.D.P.