Choose Life

^"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 30:19-20)

In these verses, Moses plainly presented before the Israelites options and consequences. Life or death? Blessing or cursing? Choosing life (= choosing God since He is our Life) brings blessing while choosing death (= rejecting God, choosing idols) brings cursing. Jesus says in John 11:25-26, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” Choosing life means choosing Jesus. If we love the Lord our God, obey Him, and cling to Him, we will receive His blessings (not necessarily material blessings, but definitely spiritual blessings). "He (God) gives life, preserves life, restores life, and prolongs it, by His power, though it be a frail life, and by His presence, though it be a forfeited life. He sweetens life by His comforts, and completes all in life everlasting." (Benson)

God gives us the freedom of making choices because He loves us and He wants to have a genuine loving relationship with us. Forced love is no love. God desires our sincere obedience that comes from our willingly devoted hearts. Even now, people can still choose God or choose idols (such as wealth, popularity, career, man-made religions,...anything but God). We all have an opportunity to affect the world (for good or for evil) through our decisions. Our children and others can tell about our commitment, values, and priorities by how we live (by the choices we make each day). We can live to gratify selves or to glorify God. We can choose to put ourselves first or put others first. We can choose to walk in God's way or our own way or the world's way. Life is filled with choices...from the moment we wake up to the moment we fall asleep...day after day. Choices always have consequences which no one can escape...good or bad. We are accountable for our choices. Some consequences are more serious than others. Choose wisely/rightly! "Choice is a bittersweet gift. Those in Heaven will always be grateful they had it and will have it always, with no fear of sin or condemnation; those in Hell will always regret that they didn't exercise it differently." (Randy Alcorn)

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for loving me and giving me meaningful life and eternal life through Christ! I love You and desire to do Your will. Please enable me and my family to obey You, to choose Your will, Your ways at all times, and to cling to You in all circumstances. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.