Choose Life

Good Morning! 

Our Bible study for Sunday is centered in Deuteronomy 28 – 30.  In these chapters, Moses warns the wandering Israelites about the curse of disobedience and the blessings of obedience.  He completes his message to the people with these words …

Deuteronomy 30:11-20 English Standard Version (ESV)

11 “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God[a] that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules,[b] then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

Footnotes:

a.     Deuteronomy 30:16 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God

b.     Deuteronomy 30:16 Or his just decrees

The Wilderness Wanderings is about to come to a close.  Moses is preparing the people for coming into the Promised Land. Life experience has taught him that the people might have good intentions … but good intentions don’t always result in positive actions.  He knows that failure to obey the commandments of the Lord will result in Israel losing the Land.  He calls upon Israel to obey and live. 

So, what does that have to do with me on this good day? 

Listen, as a Christian, the desire of my heart is to honor God with my life.  But I am very aware of the many times I fail to live up to this desire.  Like many who have gone before me, I find myself tempted by the desires of my old self.  It’s like that Blue Bell ice cream sitting in my freezer.  My desire is to lose weight … but my mind begins to think about the sweetness of the ice cream, the silky taste in my mouth … and I find myself gravitating to get just a bite … a half-cup … well, maybe the whole half-gallon.

The blessings and curses of life come from the choices we make.  Just as Moses encourages Israel to chose to be obedient to the Word of God, so too does the Holy Spirit encourage each one of us to be obedient to God … and His Holy Word.  Let’s choose life, loving God by obeying His voice and clinging to His commandments.

God bless you on this good day.

Agape’

Mr. Jim

  

Prayer:  Father, I choose life because I chose You. Remind me and encourage me in my choice.  In Jesus’ Name … Amen.

Scripture for today:  Deuteronomy 30:11-20