CHOOSE TO OBEY

Deuteronomy 11:17 “the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today”

Do you have any idea how many choices you make every day? You have to decide to get out of bed, what you will wear, what to eat for breakfast, and on and on the simple choices go. Our lives are filled with an endless run of choices. There are everyday choices like the ones listed. Then there are big-time choices like deciding on your education and career, who you will marry, and where you will live. Then there are the ‘once in a lifetime’ choices that make all the others pale in comparison. In Deuteronomy, God gives us a once in a lifetime kind of choice. “Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse...” Or as Moses later puts it “I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live...”

As far as I know everyone wants the good life, they want to be blessed. We want health, happiness, peace, prosperity. We’ve even made these our constitutional rights. There aren’t too many folks who would say “gee, I think being miserable would be so much better.” So why are there so many miserable situations out there? The world promises us so much of the good life. I am reminded of an old credit card commercial that said, “There are things in this world money can’t buy, of course for everything else there’s MasterCard.” (At least until you file for bankruptcy). God warns us about following the way that leads to a calamity, but that is not the most important point. So many people can get caught in the trap of wanting the “good life”, believing that is all the blessing they will ever need. This often demonstrates a failure to understand what life is all about.

God offers us real blessing - real life. So how do we get “the good stuff” - the real blessing that doesn’t turn to ashes? It is really rather simple and very, very difficult at the same time. We must obey God. “The blessing shall be yours, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God” There is a direct correlation between doing things God’s way and receiving God’s promises.

God has instituted certain principles for our lives. These principles are found within scripture. They are a road map to the best life. They lead us into a path of fulfillment. They direct us into a realm of blessing. There is no other way to find the realization of his promises except we live in obedience to him. You may find another way to riches. You may find another way to promotion. But don’t be deceived, accomplishments attained outside of obedience are natural and will pass away. God desires that each of us find life and blessings that are eternal.

The great thing about God’s love is that these promises of life are available to everyone. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from – if you obey God, you are choosing life. It is a simple choice that leads to a grand conclusion.