Today’s Devotion
Topic: The Choice Is Yours!
Text: Deuteronomy 30: 19
19 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. Amen
Another working week is here and duty demands that we rise from our weekend hibernation and head straight to our jobs or academics. This week, like every other week to come, is full of options. Different things, ideas, strategies and plans that you will have to choose from.
Although the array of options available to us daily on every subject matter remain enormous, they are simplified into two categories based on their long term effect. Everything we do or say now, will either lead to life or death, blessings or curses- period.
There are no two ways about it. Acts of righteousness lead to life. Evil and selfish activities lead to death (that is the spiritual disconnection from God) and curses. To choose life and blessings is to choose the Word of God and live by it. However the reward of sin is death.
For this reason, God spoke to the Israelites one day and made them aware that set before them was life and death, blessings and curses. He urged them to choose life so they and their children might live.
Beloved, there are at least two reasons why our heavenly Father wouldn’t leave Isreal to make the decision between life or death by themselves but went on to encourage them to choose life.
Firstly, our God is righteous, omniscient and gracious. It is never His wish or delight that we be lost in death or curses. There is no iota of falsehood or wickedness in Him. He desires life and blessings for us all and is even willing to give it both abundantly and eternally.
Secondly, He knows the heart of man. We are very stubborn. We always see that before us are issues that lead either to life or death, blessings or curses; and almost always, as if we can’t differentiate between them, we avoid life and simply jump into death and curses.
Sadly, we love it where there is evil because it promises to satisfy our personal interest and ego. This includes all the lies, greed, hatred, adultery, fornication, lust and pride. Before long, we realise that each careless decision only opened us up to many curses instead blessings.
Meditate on the Word and juxtapose with your life. What do you see? Are your choices and actions leading you to life or death, blessings or curses. Repent of all the disobedience to God and ask for forgiveness and divine wisdom to walk in the path of righteousness. Do this for blessings here on earth and in the world to come. Also, do this that both you and your children can live.
Finally always remember to “Seek good and not evil, that you may live; Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say He is” (Amos 5: 14). Why should anyone want death and curses when they can live and be blessed? The choice is yours!
