May 17, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Deuteronomy? Here’s today’s reading:
Deuteronomy 30 (NIV)
Prosperity After Turning to the Lord
1When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, 2and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today,.......Continue Reading
Choose life or death….blessing or curse! We must obey the commands of God but He knew that would never be enough to make us righteous and that we would falter and therefore a sacrifice was necessary to make us righteous before Him! But He gave us the choice! Our choice to follow God, follow HIs commands, to give back to Him just a fraction of what He has given us, and most importantly believe that He is the sacrifice, the One that makes us righteous! We choose this and it’s a path to life or we choose to walk away and choose a path to death.
Deuteronomy 30
Some type of blessing certainly accompanies obedience according to God’s economy. I must make sure I obey Him in every way so it may go well with me.
What a great part of scripture to return to reading. Gods MERCY just never ends. First 6 verses. Then the promise that never fails. Choose life or death. Trust and obey. Or walk away!! Awesome scripture reading!!
Deut 30
What a great assurance that if the Jews ever suffered the judgement of being sent from the land because of their disobedience, when they returned to the Lord, He would return them to the land and bless them once again. Repentance is a necessary aspect of our lives and God shows the Jews here that when they do repent, God will make it worth it.
I love what Moses/God says next, that the law of God is not hard to follow. It is not far away, that you have to go look for it. It is not lofty so it is hard to understand. It is right before them and is easy to obey as long as they are willing to obey. See it is not about ability, it is about willingness. And that is why God puts before them life and death, blessing and cursing, to encourage them to be willing to obey. May that same willingness be fostered in us as we see the shining example of Jesus and all the grace and mercy that flows through Him and all the power and provisions God gives us to obey Him.
Thinking about the Jews today. What a great promise they have. Not sure where the existing nation of Israel stands before the Lord. Are they still striving to follow the Lord according to the law? Praying for Israel that they would recognize their Messiah, Jesus.
19This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.