“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, 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.”
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
Every day, we make choices. It seems pretty obvious, but it’s worth noting. For example, you chose to scan the little QR code on your bulletin and read this little devo (and I hope you are blessed by it!). When we make a choice, it will have some sort of result or consequence, either for good or bad depending on the choice. We then determine whether the choice itself was “good” or “bad” based on its consequences.
As the Israelites are about to enter the Promised Land, Moses gives a very long speech (that’s the book of Deuteronomy!), and at the end, he urges the people of Israel to trust God and to follow Him, and shares what the consequences of that choice will be.
Moses first outlines all of the blessings for if they obey God: beautiful promises of God’s faithful provision, deep relationship with Him, protection from their enemies, and how the world will see God through them. Moses then follows with a list (more than twice as long than the blessings) of all the curses they will face if they do not obey God: tragedy around every corner, plague and famine and disease, no relationship with God, and very detailed ways they will suffer. It paints a terrifying picture of what life without God is like.
We should note: these are not blessings and curses simply for the sake of blessings and curses - they are the possible results of a single choice the Israelites are faced with: Will they follow God and obey Him, or will they live life on their own terms? The blessings are the result of life with God - because He is where life is found. The curses are the result of life without God - because they have rejected the one true Source of Life.
Moses pleads with the people: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying His voice and holding fast to Him, for He is your life and length of days.” (Deut 30:19-20)
Every day we are faced with the same choice as the Israelites: will we choose life or death?
Choosing life is not a one-time decision – it’s a decision that we are to make every day, choosing to follow and obey God. And we don’t obey simply for the sake of obedience, but because we are loved by God and want to love Him in return. As Jesus put it, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If we truly love God and know His love for us, we’ll want to do what He says.
May we choose life out of our love for Him and follow Him wherever He leads.