God allowed His people to appoint a king like the nations around them, but He gave specific instructions for the king to follow.  Part of those instructions involved how to handle God’s words.  “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.” (Deuteronomy 17:18-20)  Our Heavenly Father may not speak to us today in miraculous form, but His Written Word is just as powerful.  “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)  It is up to us to use His Word to direct our lives like He commanded those kings to do.

Today’s reading: Deuteronomy 17-20