Do you only hear, or are you really listening?
there’s a big difference between the two…
'Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
This 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 and 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.' Deuteronomy 30:11-20
this is a continuation from yesterday on obeying. the differences is this one you really need to make a hard decision in whom and whose hands you will place your trust and life in.
depending if you want to live or die, you must walk in His ways. what does that entail: 1) love God, 2) keep and obey His commands. this is a firm commitment, not a passive consideration.
for doing so you will be blessed, live long, and prosper as mentioned also in verses 6-10.
this is like your boss giving (bless) you a bonus (many years, increase) at the end of the year. you have to commit to going above the average to get a reward for doing excellent work. if you really want it badly you’ll do your best and within guidelines (commands, decrees, laws).
i know it seems crazy that anyone would choose death and destruction, but there are those out there who will because they want to live a life without “rules” or to be ‘god’ themselves. that they make all the decisions and answer to no one.
those days are long gone for me. for my family we choose life, God’s way. looking back at the foolishness and misery, i can only hope to share my life experiences and story for anyone who would listen, and more importantly the Gospel of Jesus, so they, too, can live abundantly too.
Father God, thank you that you do give us the choice of living a full and prosperous life. that despite our sins, you choose to still want and have a relationship with us instead of striking us down. i will follow you Lord, and ask for help to reach my family in doing so too. teach me to guide them back to you. i humbly ask this in Jesus’ name, amen!