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See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity.If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)
I remember my father and mother constantly talking to me about making right decisions. I wondered when the time would come for those decisions. In those days I felt they pretty much ran my life. I had no choices, I thought; I wake up, I HAVE to go to school. After school, I have to come home. I have to do my home work. I have to go play outside (I didn't mind that one too much). Yes, I had to eat. (I loved that one. Still do!). I had to bathe. I had to brush my teeth. I had to go to sleep. I had to say my prayers. And in looking back it was the prayers that I lifted up or were lifted up that blessed my life and made the decisions in early life come easily. I made good friends. I stayed away from those whose habits were not mine. I got offered drugs early on and I knew to say no. I chose not to drink. And I chose not to smoke. And when the really big decisions came, I saw God's hand guiding and blessing me.
In today's passage, Moses is talking to the people of God as God is forming them into a nation. Not just any nation, but a nation of priests; an example to the world of what can and does happen when we trust God fully in all aspects of life. Yet, it had to be spelled out. It does sound like a Dad or Mom talking seriously to a child they love: You have these things set before you; life and prosperity, death and adversity. That seems like an easy choice, but sometimes the four are carefully disguised, some in attractive packages, others in stark contrasts; we still have to choose. And Moses reminds them as God reminds us, If we walk with God and seek to honor and please God, we will have life, "exuberant life" as The Message version says. The heart turned to God gets blessed; a heart turned away from God results in sad consequences, even death. And Moses called upon heaven and earth as witnesses, that he had shared before the forming people of God life and death, blessings and curses. He says, "choose life so that you and yours may live long lives in the places God is leading you."
Dear friend, do you see God guiding you as you make your way? Do you trust God enough to call on Him to ask how you should live? Do you see life and blessings as a good choice, or are you being guided towards death and adversity? The choices as I said are sometimes very closely identical or seem packaged in a way that we can't go wrong, but I say don't be fooled. Ask God for eyes of faith to see what is truly behind the choices presented to us. And choose wisely that which will bless you and yours.
PRAYER: Loving God, help me to live a life that honors and blesses You. Help me discern the choices that will come before me today that I may choose the right way. I want life and prosperity and I want life and blessings. Make me wise not to be fooled into choosing that which will not be a blessing. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Here is the link for today's video thoughts on this passage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5rMQkH9GY0&t=27s
