For He Is Your Life

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD share unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. Deuteronomy 30:19-20

Choose well.

How many choices would you guess you have to make in a day? A dozen? A hundred? More?

Some of them are inconsequential, like grape or strawberry jelly on your toast. Others will be for your own safety, as you avoid an accident or decide to go or not go somewhere dangerous. Many, though, can change your life forever, when you forgive someone or take your problems to God in prayer.

The choices Moses gave the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 30 were his closing advice to them before his death. Not everyone has the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings before they leave this earth, but Moses knew exactly what he wanted to tell them. And in doing so, he left them inexcusable in their disobedience.

... I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing ...

 Never once did Moses hide the truth of God's commands from the people, and there were many times when he interceded on their behalf in the midst of a tumultuous situation. But soon Moses wouldn't be there to lead and guide them. The choices they would make from here on out would be theirs and theirs alone.

Knowing this, he was desperate to show them what decisions they would face in the very near future. If they chose to love the Lord, walk in His ways and keep His commandments, they would be blessed with long life and joy in the land they had been promised. Obedience would bring them blessings beyond anything they could imagine.

In stark contrast, a selfish, disobedience choice would only bring misery and death, both physical and spiritual. Moses didn't sugar-coat the consequences of their decisions, which they should already have known and grabbed hold of. Instead, Moses had to use his final words to remind them of the destruction their poor choices would create.

... for he is thy life, and the length of thy days ...

 This would be the root of their faith, love and obedience. Apostasy and idolatry would extinguish their candle, but obedience to God would bring life, joy and peace in the days to come. They were to think ahead to the promise of a resting place given to them so many generations ago. Choices made in obedience to the Lord had so many blessings attached to them, but this was just one part of the bigger picture. This wasn't a rah-rah speech to stir the people up emotionally, but a wake-up call to refresh their souls. Their lives and the lives of their descendants would all hang in the balance of these decisions.

I ask you again: how many choices are you going to make today? A dozen? A hundred? More? Peace and joy can come from those decisions when they're made in obedience to God's call on your life. They can change your life forever when you keep your focus on putting Him first.

Choose well.

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